WALES

Mobile Telephones

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  what progress has been made toward the extension of mobile telephone coverage on the A470(T); and what the anticipated timetable is for delivery;
	(2)  discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on the extension of mobile telephone coverage on the A470(T).

Cheryl Gillan: I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues on a range of issues that affect Wales, including the extension of mobile telephone coverage along the A470.
	The Government have shortlisted six potential providers from the pre-qualitative questionnaires it received and the six providers will be invited to tender in due course. A list of those providers can be found at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/telecommunications_and_online/8757.aspx
	The Mobile Infrastructure Project's procurement timeline is for the award of the contract to be made around the end of this year and that the work would commence in early 2013 to be completed by the target date of the end of this Parliament in 2015.

Aviation

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many first-class flights paid for from the public purse Ministers in her Department have taken since May 2010.

David Jones: None.

Billing

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many and what proportion of invoices her Department has paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

David Jones: The information requested is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Total invoices paid Invoices paid within 10 days Percentage paid within 10 days 
			 June 2011 55 55 100 
			 July 2011 102 102 100 
			 August 2011 81 79 97.53 
			 September 2011 65 64 98.46 
			 October 2011 78 75 96.15 
		
	
	
		
			 November 2011 82 82 100 
			 December 2011 102 102 100 
			 January 2012 88 83 93.87 
			 February 2012 107 107 100 
			 March 2012 149 133 87.88 
			 April 2012 88 75 85.22 
			 May 2012 111 111 100

Broadband

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made on making Cardiff a super-connected broadband city; and what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on this proposal.

Cheryl Gillan: I have had regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt) and other ministerial colleagues about broadband issues in Wales, including Cardiff becoming a super connected city.
	Cardiff is currently finalising the details of its proposals in preparation for its submission to the Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport. Upon receipt of these details, the Government will be able to determine the final level of funding for the project, which could be up to £12 million.

Broadband

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps she is taking to support the efforts of (a) Swansea and (b) Newport to become a super-connected city.

Cheryl Gillan: I have written to the Leaders of both Swansea and Newport city councils highlighting the funding available for this latest round of the super connect city programme and expressing my hope that they would be putting forward strong bids to secure this valuable funding and become super connected cities. I hope the hon. Gentleman will also be urging them to do the same.

Business Plans

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when she next expects to update her Department's business plan.

Cheryl Gillan: The Wales Office business plan is reviewed periodically and I expect the next update to follow publication of the Wales Office Annual Report 2011-12, due to be published before summer recess.

Cabinet

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what bilateral meetings she has had with each of her Cabinet colleagues in the last 12 months.

Cheryl Gillan: I meet Cabinet and other ministerial colleagues on a regular basis.

Disposable Income

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate she has made of the change in the level of disposable income in households in Wales since May 2010.

Cheryl Gillan: Latest statistics released two weeks ago show that gross disposable household income rose in Wales in 2010 to £13,783 per head from £13,341 per head in 2009.

Economic Growth

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent assessment she has made of the rate of economic growth in Wales.

Cheryl Gillan: I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the response given by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the right hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander), to the hon. Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (Jonathan Edwards) on 30 April 2012, Official Report, column 1187W.

Economic Growth

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much of the 0.8 per cent growth forecast she expects to come from Wales.

Cheryl Gillan: The Office for Budget Responsibility bases its forecasts on macro-economic data which are not disaggregated to sub-national level. The Government remains committed to rebalancing growth across the UK.

Job Creation: Private Sector

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many private sector jobs have been created in Wales since May 2010; and in which areas.

Cheryl Gillan: According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics on 1 March 2012, for the first quarter of 2010, 923,000 people were employed in the private sector in Wales. The latest figures available are for the third quarter of 2011 and show that 967,000 people were employed in the private sector in Wales, an increase of 44,000. At present there are no industry level figures available.

Olympic Games 2012

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which events she plans to attend in the London 2012 Olympics in her official role.

Cheryl Gillan: My programme for the Olympics has yet to be finalised.

Police

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of any link between levels of spending on policing in Wales and the number of front-line police officers in Wales;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the effect on the number of police officers in Wales of reductions in spending on policing up to 2015;
	(3)  what discussions she has with ministerial colleagues on the effect of reductions in expenditure on policing on Wales.

Cheryl Gillan: I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues about a range of matters relating to policing in Wales.
	We have set a challenging but manageable funding settlement for the police service. It is a matter for the chief constable and the police authority in each force to determine the number of police officers that are deployed within the available resource.

Poverty: Children

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment she has made of the effects of the Government's welfare policies on the level of child poverty in Wales since May 2010.

Cheryl Gillan: The Government are firmly committed to eradicating child poverty. In his report to Parliament, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith) made clear that, while income is important, considering this measure in isolation fails to properly reflect the real experience of poverty. The Government are developing more effective measurements of child poverty which will provide a more accurate picture in Wales and the UK. We will be launching a consultation seeking views on how to do this in the autumn.
	The Welsh Government also have responsibility for a number of factors that affect child poverty including its own Child Poverty Strategy and Delivery Plan for Wales. It is important that both strategies work together.

Redundancy: Public Sector

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many public sector job losses there have been in Wales since May 2010.

Cheryl Gillan: The Office for National Statistics published latest figures on public sector employment on 20 June 2012 which showed that public sector employment has decreased by 11,000 since the first quarter of 2010. There were 336,000 people employed in the public sector in Wales in the first quarter of 2012.
	It is worth noting that the decrease includes a drop of 9,000 in local government employment in Wales, a devolved matter, between the first quarter of 2010 and the end of 2011.

Social Security Benefits

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate she has made of the change in the level of welfare spending in Wales up to 2015.

Cheryl Gillan: Benefit expenditure forecasts are produced at Great Britain level only. These are available at the following link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/budget_2012_2205.xls

Tax Allowances: Pensioners

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  how many pensioners in Wales will be affected by the freezing of age-related allowances announced in Budget 2012;
	(2)  what the average monetary effect will be for pensioners in Wales as a result of the freezing of age-related allowances announced in Budget 2012.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Treasury.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Members for Newport East (Jessica Morden), for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Cathy Jamieson), for Leeds West (Rachel Reeves) and for Glasgow North East (Mr Bain) on 30 April 2012, Official Report, column 1204W, which provides available estimates of numbers and average monetary effects by country and region.

Third Sector

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent assessment she has made of progress towards the objective in her Department's Business Plan to help develop and communicate the Government's vision for the big society in Wales.

David Jones: Since the Department's Business Plan was published we have held an all-Wales seminar on the big society (September 2011), established a Wales Office Big Society Advisory Forum, which is due to meet next on 12 July, and we are in the process of planning a joint event with Cardiff metropolitan university on social investment which will be held in September.
	I have also held several meetings with key figures, such as the Minister for Civil Society, my hon. Friend the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Mr Hurd), as well as stakeholder groups, for example the Urdd, to discuss the big society in relation to Wales. It is regrettable the Welsh Government have not yet engaged with the UK Government on big society themes; however, I will continue my attempts to secure that they do so.
	Further, in December the Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), presented the Prime Minister's big society award to Creation Development Trust which operates in Blaengarw. Representatives of the trust also recently attended a reception for big society award winners in Downing Street.

Unemployment Benefits

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the change has been in the amount paid in unemployment benefits in Wales since May 2010.

Chris Grayling: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	2011-12 outturn expenditure information for Wales is not currently available. Outturn expenditure for jobseeker's allowance for Wales in 2010-11 can be found using the following URL:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/la_expenditure.xls
	2011-12 data will be published in September 2012 and will be accessible from the same URL as above.
	Average amount data for jobseeker's allowance payments in Wales, up to November 2011, can be accessed using the DWP Tabulation Tool which can be found at the following URL:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
	Claimant count information can be found using the NOMIS website which gives data up to May 2012. The NOMIS website can be accessed using the following URL:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/

VAT: Caravans

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment she has made of the effect on the Welsh economy of the decision to impose five per cent VAT on static caravan holidays.

Cheryl Gillan: An assessment of the impact of levying VAT on the sale of static caravans was set out in the consultation document “VAT: Addressing Borderline Anomalies” published at the time of the Budget. An updated assessment has been published as part of the Government's response to the consultation, which can be found at:
	http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/downloadFile?contentID=HMCE_PROD1_032138

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Cetaceans

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the Resolution on Highly Migratory Cetaceans and Ocean Governance introduced by Monaco at the 2012 International Whaling Commission meeting.

Richard Benyon: The UK has consistently taken the view that the International Whaling Commission (IWC) should increase and improve the effectiveness of efforts to address the conservation status of all cetaceans, as well as those whales listed in the Schedule to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. DEFRA believes that the IWC has a clear role to address issues surrounding small cetaceans as well as large whales and it views this as an important part of the Commission's work. DEFRA will be considering the UK's position in relation to Monaco's draft resolution to the IWC in discussions with other EU member states during the annual IWC meeting taking place in Panama in July.

Common Agricultural Policy

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the UK contributed to the common agricultural policy in the most recent month for which figures are available.

James Paice: The UK contributes to the EU Budget as a whole and not to individual spending programmes within it and there is not, therefore, a specific UK contribution to common agricultural policy expenditure. Details of the UK's contributions to the EU Budget for the period 2005-06 to 2010-11 are set out in Table 3B, page 16, of European Union Finances 2011 (Cm 8232).
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2005 Outturn 2006 Outturn 2007 Outturn 2008 Outturn 2009 Outturn 2010 Outturn 2011 Estimated outturn(2) 
			 Gross payments 12,483 12,426 12,456 12,653 14,129 15,197 15,289 
			 Less: UK Abatement -3,572 -3,569 -3,523 -4,862 -5,392 -3,047 -3,141 
			 Less: Public sector receipts -5,329 -4,948 -4,332 -4,497 -4,401 -4,769 -4,776 
			 Net contributions to EU Budget(3) 3,581 3,909 4,601 3,294 4,336 7,381 7,372 
			 (1 )The figures for 2011 are forecasts; those for the earlier years are outturn. (2) Gross payment figures include TOR payments at 75%. The remaining 25% is retained by the UK to cover the costs of administering collection on behalf of the EU. (3) Due to rounding, totals may not exactly correspond to the sum of individual items. Source:HM Treasury 
		
	
	In 2005, expenditure on the CAP represented 46.2% of the EU budget. By 2011 this had declined to 43.7%.
	Sources:
	European Union Finances 2011:
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm82/8232/8232.pdf
	Financial Management in the European Union (2007):
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc0607/hc04/0401/0401.asp

Fish Farming

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many fish farms were set up in each of the last five years.

Richard Benyon: The following numbers of fish farms were newly authorised to operate across the UK in the last five years:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2007 23 
			 2008 46 
			 2009 28 
			 2010 29 
			 2011 27 
		
	
	However, in some cases a new licence may reflect a change of ownership rather than a new farm being set up, and figures from the devolved Administrations may include authorisations of single businesses operating at more than one farm site.

Public Expenditure

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish a statement of her Department's expenditure in each of the last 36 months; and what steps her Department is taking to avoid an annual underspend.

Richard Benyon: holding answer 14 June 2012
	DEFRA's Annual Report and Accounts set out the Department's annual expenditure. The 2010-11 Annual Report and Accounts are available on the Department's website. These can be accessed using the following link. Expenditure for 2009-10 and 2010-11 is shown in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Net Expenditure on page 70:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/2011/07/26/annual-report-accounts-2010-11/
	The Annual Report and Accounts for 2011-12 are due to be published in July 2012.
	DEFRA has been improving its financial management and forecasting systems over recent years, enabling it to manage its finances more effectively. The Department regularly monitors and reports its spend in-year to identify potential over and under-spending including a detailed process to challenge quarterly forecast outturns. If an under-spend is identified then funds are re-prioritised and allocated to alternative areas ensuring value for money.

Timber

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the effect on (a) the wood market, (b) the wood panel industry and (c) other wood processing industries of not differentiating subsidy support for biomass feedstocks sourced domestically and internationally; and if she will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
	DECC has carefully considered the potential impacts on the wood products industry of biomass electricity incentives.
	Analysis published alongside the Government's Bioenergy Strategy(1) shows that the UK is a price taker in the global market and that UK wood prices have not correlated with energy demand in recent years. The use of sustainably sourced biomass feedstocks by the energy sector is set to increase' both in the UK and globally. However, for commercial reasons the very large majority of the UK increase is expected to be fuelled by imported feedstocks under long-term supply contracts, and as such the Government does not consider that biomass deployment in the electricity sector will have a significant impact on the dynamics of the domestic UK wood market.
	Recognising the scope for market uncertainty, DECC is working closely with the wood products industry and biomass electricity generators to ensure robust monitoring measures are in place for biomass feedstocks. These measures will provide early warning of any supply risks from the electricity sector and give confidence to the wood products industry and its investors that domestic supplies of feedstocks will continue to be available.
	(1) http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/bioenergy /strategy/strategy.aspx

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Working Hours

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on the adoption by the UK of European Aviation Safety Agency flight time limitations without the incorporation of (a) a 30 minute reduction in flight duty period (FDP) for each sector after the first and a reduction in FDP of twice the sleep lost due to early rising and (b) other scientific recommendations in the Appendix to the Comment Response Document to NPA 2010-14.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 2 July 2012
	The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is still considering the responses to its consultation. We will consider our position, taking into account advice from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), once a final set of rules has been proposed. We will not support EASA's proposals if they do not provide an adequate level of protection against fatigue.

Gatwick Airport

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information her Department holds on the average seat occupancy rate on flights (a) departing from and (b) arriving at Gatwick in the latest period for which such figures are available.

Theresa Villiers: In 2011, the average seat occupancy rate on flights at Gatwick was estimated to be 80% on both departing and arriving flights.

M62

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the M62 between Hull and Leeds is going to be devoid of lane closures and roadworks; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The Highways Agency has responsibility for the operation and stewardship of strategic road network and this responsibility is reflected through the delivery of emergency repair work, programmed maintenance activity and major improvement projects.
	The Agency currently have six planned schemes involving road works on the M62 between Hull and Leeds. Of these, five separate schemes between Junctions 34 and 38 involving carriageway and barrier repair and renewal are all due to finish by the end of July 2012.
	Between the M62 J25 to J30, a Managed Motorway scheme is currently under construction. The Agency are working section by section and plan to have the first two sections fully operational in summer 2013 with the rest entering operation by autumn/winter 2013. This scheme will cut congestion, make journey times more reliable and improve safety through the use of variable mandatory speed limits and by opening the hard shoulder as an extra running lane.
	Overnight closures are being used as part of delivering the Managed Motorway scheme to minimise inconvenience to road users.

M62

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there are any plans to install motorway lighting on the M62; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The Highways Agency currently has no plans to install any additional lighting on the M62.
	Some lighting renewal work to replace existing lighting is planned in the Agency's forward programme.
	The ongoing managed motorway improvements between junctions 25 (Brighouse) to 30 (Rothwell) will include replacement lighting where required.

Operation StepChange

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 24 May 2012, Official Report, column 785W, on Operation StepChange, how much her Department has spent on video production, editing and promotional costs as part of the campaign.

Theresa Villiers: The Department utilised existing in-house resources to produce the Operation StepChange videos, therefore spending no additional money.

Telephone Services

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many private sector call centre staff were used by her Department and its agencies in each of the last three financial years; and at what cost to the public purse.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport and its seven Executive Agencies directly operate four public facing contact centres for motoring and highway services, an internal facing contact centre for its Shared Service functions, and two contracted out contact centres for the Driving Theory Test and the National Vehicle Recovery Centre.
	The Highways Agency Contact Centre employed 6 temporary private sector staff for varying lengths of time between April 2009 and 25th June 2010 at a cost of £56,811 in financial year 2009-10 and £11,742 in financial year 2010-11.
	The VOSA Contact Centre employed 53 temporary private sector staff over the last three financial years at a cost of £191,000 in financial year 2009-10, £321,000 in financial year 2010-11, and £184,000 in financial year 2011/12. These figures are estimates based on standard daily charges. To provide more precise figures would incur a disproportionate cost.
	None of the Department's other directly operated contact centres employed any private sector staff during the previous three financial years.
	Staff numbers and costs for the fully outsourced National Vehicle Recovery Centre contact centre are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Total (£) Staff (Full-time equivalent) 
			 2011/12 892,672 35 
			 2010/11 1,005,920 46 
			 2009/10 1,341,768 51 
		
	
	Staff numbers and costs in the contact centre for the outsourced DSA Driving Theory Test service are not specified separately under the terms of the contract.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Corporation Tax

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the devolution of powers in relation to corporation tax; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: I regularly discuss the rebalancing of the Northern Ireland economy, including the potential devolution of powers relating to corporation tax, with ministerial colleagues, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Corporation Tax

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the devolution of powers in relation to corporation tax; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: Ministers from the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive held the third meeting of the Ministerial Working Group on Rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy in Belfast on 25 June. While good progress has been made on some aspects of the work, including the potential shape of a devolved corporation tax regime, there remain some crucial areas where significant differences of opinion still exist, including on the potential costs to the Northern Ireland block grant. Officials will continue to work over the summer to resolve these differences and the Ministerial Working Group have agreed to meet again in September.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) publications, (b) consultation documents and (c) circulars have been issued by his Department since May 2010; and what the title was of each such publication, consultation document or circular.

Owen Paterson: All publications and consultation documents issued by my Department since May 2010 have been issued via the internet and can be found at the following link:
	http://www.nio.gov.uk/index/nio-publication.htm
	No publications officially classified as circulars have been issued.

Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what regulations his Department introduced between 1 February and 31 May 2012; and at what cost to the public purse.

Owen Paterson: My Department has introduced one regulation in the period in question, namely the Identification and Traceability of Explosives (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) regulations 2012. The cost to the public purse could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Combined Heat and Power

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect on incentives to (a) build and (b) sustain new combined heat and power (CHP) plants of the cancellation of levy exemption certificates; what alternative incentives his Department has identified to encourage the (i) acquisition and (ii) maintenance of CHP capacity; what his policy is on the desirability of such capacity; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Cathy Jamieson) on 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 422W.
	We are working closely with the industry and other stakeholders on these questions and the Department will make clear our policy on support for CHP once this work is complete.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on exemptions for industries participating in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme from liability for payments under the UK Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) when phase 2 of the CRC is implemented in 2014.

Gregory Barker: The Government's consultation on a package of simplification measures for the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme was launched on 27 March. Our CRC simplification proposals include measures to remove overlaps between the CRC and the EU Emissions Trading System and also the voluntary climate change agreements. We have proposed that EU ETS installations will no longer be required to purchase allowances for electricity supplies under the CRC. ETS installations are already exempt from buying allowances for other fuel use. The Department is currently considering responses to our consultation, which closed on 18 June, and decisions on the final CRC package will be announced in the autumn.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he plans to make to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the protection of industries currently subject to both the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and the Carbon Reduction Commitment in the event of the Carbon Reduction Commitment being replaced by an alternative scheme.

Gregory Barker: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), regularly discusses matters of common interest with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne). The Department is currently considering responses to our consultation on simplification of the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme which closed on 18 June. The Government will make a further announcement in due course.

Lighting

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the prospects for LED lighting as a means of reducing (a) energy consumption and (b) household bills.

Gregory Barker: Low energy lighting has the potential to make significant energy savings in larger non-domestic buildings. We are therefore including low energy lighting, systems and controls in the non-domestic Green Deal.
	For domestic properties it has proved difficult to date to model standard energy saving estimates for lighting systems and controls, and these measures are not therefore included in our modelling tools at present.
	My officials will shortly be holding a meeting with representatives from the lighting industry to explore more fully the issues identified with domestic properties. I look forward to considering the outputs of this meeting.

Oil: Refineries

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment his Department has made of the (a) refining capacity of UK oil refineries and (b) minimum number of refineries which the UK needs to retain as long-term strategic assets; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: Data from the UK Petroleum Industry Association Statistical Review 2011 indicates that in 2009 the UK had the fourth largest refining capacity in Western Europe at over 1.7 million barrels per day.
	The UK has an open and competitive market for oil refining, that we consider to be in the best long-term interest of consumers. The Government seek to ensure that the right conditions exist to attract those best able to make investment decisions in the UK's refining sector.
	DECC is currently working with the industry to develop a strategic policy framework for the UK refining sector.

Oil: Refineries

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the comparative regulatory burdens on the UK oil refining industry in (a) the UK, (b) India and (c) Saudi Arabia; what effect such differences have on the competitiveness of the UK oil refining industry; what steps he plans to take to create a level playing field; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: The UK has an open and competitive market for oil refining that we consider to be in the best long-term interest of consumers, with regulation under UK and EU competition, environmental and health and safety regimes.
	DECC is currently working with the industry to examine the global risks and challenges that could impact on the competitiveness of the UK refining industry in the longer term. This will form the basis for a strategic policy framework for the UK refining sector.

Warm Front Scheme: Bolton

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will assess how his Winter Warmth Appeal announced in February 2012 has helped raise awareness of the Warm Front scheme amongst Bolton residents.

Gregory Barker: In February 2012, we launched the Winter Warmth Appeal urging anyone who is eligible to receive assistance through the Warm Front scheme to apply for the help to which they are entitled. As part of this appeal we wrote to 675,000 households across England, targeting areas with high levels of fuel poverty, to help raise awareness of the Warm Front scheme. 9,319 letters were sent to households in the Bolton area as part of this campaign.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many establishments regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 use (a) old world monkeys, (b) dogs, (c) old world monkeys in pharmaceutical toxicology or other safety/efficacy evaluation and (d) dogs in pharmaceutical toxicology or other safety/efficacy evaluation.

Lynne Featherstone: The information is as follows:
	14 establishments regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 used old world monkeys in scientific procedures started in 2010 in Great Britain.
	17 establishments regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 used dogs in scientific procedures started in 2010 in Great Britain.
	Four establishments regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 used old world monkeys in pharmaceutical safety/efficacy evaluation (including biological products, e.g. cells) in scientific procedures started in 2010 in Great Britain.
	11 establishments regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 used dogs in pharmaceutical safety/efficacy evaluation (including biological products, e.g. cells) in scientific procedures started in 2010 in Great Britain.

Animal Experiments

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many project licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 use (a) old world monkeys, (b) dogs, (c) old world monkeys in pharmaceutical toxicology or other safety/efficacy evaluation, (d) old world monkeys in method development in toxicology or other safety/efficacy evaluation, (e) dogs in pharmaceutical toxicology or other safety/efficacy evaluation, (f) dogs in other toxicology or other safety/efficacy evaluation and (g) dogs in method development in toxicology or other safety/efficacy evaluation.

Lynne Featherstone: The information requested is as follows:
	36 project licences regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 used old world monkeys in scientific procedures started in 2010 in Great Britain.
	50 project licences regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 used dogs in scientific procedures started in 2010 in Great Britain.
	12 project licences regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 used old world monkeys in pharmaceutical safety/efficacy evaluation (including biological products, e.g. cells) in scientific procedures started in 2010 in Great Britain.
	Five project licences regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 used old world monkeys in method development or validation in toxicology or other safety efficacy evaluation in scientific procedures started in 2010 in Great Britain.
	30 project licences regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 used dogs in pharmaceutical safety/efficacy evaluation (including biological products, e.g. cells) in scientific procedures started in 2010 in Great Britain.
	13 project licences regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 used dogs in other toxicology or other safety or efficacy evaluation in scientific procedures started in 2010 in Great Britain.
	Eight project licences regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 used dogs in method development or validation in toxicology or other safety efficacy evaluation in scientific procedures started in 2010 in Great Britain.

Arrest Warrants

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information on the implementation by the UK of the Council Framework Decision on the European Arrest Warrant and surrender procedures has been requested by the Council of the European Union since 2007.

Damian Green: The UK has been operating the European arrest warrant (EAW) since 2004. In 2006 the UK's implementation of the EAW was the subject of a peer evaluation by other EU member states and the Commission published reports in 2007 and 2010, to which the Government responded.
	Additionally, there is an annual requirement on member states to provide the Council with numerical data on the operation of the EAW as both issuing and executing state.

Atos

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2012, Official Report, column 862W, on Atos, what the value was of each contract between her Department and Atos in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012.

Damian Green: The Home Office has one contract with Atos Origin. Spend in each of the last three financial years on this contract is as follows:
	
		
			 Table 1 
			 £ million 
			 Financial year Total (in the order of) 
			 2011-12 61.9 
			 2010-11 38.7 
			 2009-10 38.3 
			 Total 138.9

Crime: Coventry

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of (a) burglary offences, (b) robbery offences, (c) violence against the person offences, (d) antisocial behaviour offences and (e) offences against vehicles in Coventry local authority area in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 2 July 2012
	Police recorded crime data on the offences of burglary, robbery, violence against the person and offences against vehicles in the Coventry local authority area from 2006-07 to 2010-11 are provided in the following table.
	Antisocial behaviour is not a criminal offence defined in law. The Home Office collects data on the number of calls to service the police receive in relation to antisocial behaviour incidents but these are not available at the local authority area level.
	
		
			 Police recorded offences of burglary, robbery, violence against the person and offences against vehicles for Coventry local authority area, 2006-07 to 2010-11 
			 Financial year Burglary Robbery Violence against the person Offences against vehicles 
			 2006-07 4,649 843 7,592 5,828 
			 2007-08 4,069 646 7,229 3,862 
			 2008-09 3,787 699 6,631 3,887 
			 2009-10 3,977 616 6,552 3,458 
			 2010-11 4,459 816 5,153 3,929

Drinking Banning Orders

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drinking banning orders on (a) application and (b) conviction were issued in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Nottinghamshire and (iii) Ashfield constituency in the last three years.

James Brokenshire: Drinking banning orders were introduced on 31 August 2009. Between their date of introduction and 31 December 2011, 625 were issued in England and Wales, 55 upon application and 570 upon conviction. During the same period local justice Areas within Nottinghamshire have issued four drink banning orders upon application and 25 on conviction.
	Figures for the individual constituency area of Ashfield are not held centrally.
	Source:
	HM Courts Service (latest published figures available).

Drugs: Misuse

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new psychotic substances are being monitored by her Department's Forensic Early Warning System.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office Forensic Early Warning System (FEWS) was set up to identify emerging new psychoactive substances in the UK. Since inception in January 2011, FEWS has identified 18 substances seen for the first time in the UK, a number of which are already controlled under UK legislation.
	The results from FEWS are passed to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) which keeps drug-related issues under review, including new psychoactive substances. The current availability of substances identified by FEWS is being monitored and, as appropriate, individual substances will be reviewed by the ACMD and advice provided to the Government.
	The FEWS annual report published in May is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/alcohol-drugs/drugs/drug-strategy/fews
	One new substance has been identified in the UK since publication of this report.

Drugs: Misuse

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department plans to undertake a statistical analysis to establish the effectiveness of the 2010 Drugs Strategy in (a) reducing demand and (b) restricting supply of illicit drugs.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 2 July 2012
	The Home Office is committed to undertaking an evaluation of the effectiveness and value for money of the 2010 Drug Strategy. A document setting out the approach to the evaluation will be published in autumn 2012.

Electronic Surveillance: Admissibility of Evidence

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Attorney-General on the use of intercept evidence; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: By long-standing convention, observed by successive administrations and embodied in the Ministerial Code, the fact that the Law Officers may or may not have advised or have been requested to advise on a particular issue, and the content of any advice, is not disclosed outside Government.

Entry Clearances: Israel

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether for the purposes of the UK Border Agency visa requirements an Israeli citizen resident in an Israeli settlement in the occupied Palestinian Territories is considered legally resident in Israel or the Palestinian Authority.

Damian Green: Israeli citizens who hold valid travel documents and meet the requirements of the immigration rules are allowed to enter the UK regardless of their area of residence.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on the refusal of Tier 4 visas owing to the applicant not meeting the English language standards, in the latest period for which figures are available.

Damian Green: Information on tier 4 visa refusals owing to the applicant not meeting the English language standards is only held locally at the UK Border Agency's visa sections. To provide an accurate answer to the question tabled would require the examination of individual records, which would incur a disproportionate cost.

Europol

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what information her Department holds on the number of UK nationals who have their personal data held by Europol;
	(2)  what steps her Department takes to check the sharing of the personal data of UK nationals by Europol with the third states and organisations listed in EU Council Decisions 2009/935/JHA;
	(3)  what steps her Department takes to check the processing of data relating to UK nationals which is supplied to Europol for the purpose of analysis under EU Council Decisions 2009/936/JHA.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 2 July 2012
	The Europol National Unit (ENU), based in SOCA International, does not have information on how many UK nationals have their personal data held by Europol. Personal data is submitted to Europol by law enforcement agencies of the 27 EU member states and eight third party countries. The ENU does not have access to the information submitted by other parties but would have access to personal data on UK nationals that it has placed on the system itself. We are not able to provide a figure for the number of UK nationals whose personal data has been inputted to Europol by the UK; Europol data systems are not configured to provide this data by nationality.
	Europol databases are governed by handling codes. When personal data are inputted to Europol, the owner of the data (which will be the competent law enforcement agency of a member state) specifies a handling code which dictates to whom the information can be disseminated. The member state can therefore state whether or not the data may be shared with other states. Europol has internal controls to monitor compliance with these handling codes.
	Data contributed by the UK, which may include data on UK nationals, are initially assessed by the relevant competent law enforcement authority within the UK for compliance with the Europol mandate. The UK Europol National Unit will also have sight of this information. The UK has no ability to check data provided by other member states.

Extradition: USA

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes to the UK-US extradition regime resulted from the entry into force of the Agreement on extradition between the European Union and the United States on 1 February 2010.

Damian Green: holding answer 2 July 2012
	The main change to the extradition regime between the US and the UK following the entry into force of the EU-US Agreement on Extradition came about as a consequence of Article 5(2) of the Agreement, so that the requirement for requests from the UK to the US to be certified by an official of the US embassy no longer applied. Also, the transmission of additional case information directly between the Home Office and the US Department of Justice was formalised by way of Article 10. Other potential amendments did not change existing UK practice.

Extradition: USA

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to publish her response to the Baker Review of the UK-US extradition treaty.

Damian Green: The UK-US extradition treaty was only one area considered by the independent review of the UK's extradition arrangements chaired by Sir Scott Baker. The report was published on 18 October 2011. The Government are currently considering how to respond to what is a very detailed and complex review of nearly 500 pages and will report their conclusions to Parliament when this has been completed.

Illegal Immigrants

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the early results from the e-borders system on the (a) nationality and (b) entry route of those identified as having overstayed their leave to remain.

Damian Green: holding answer 2 July 2012
	The e-Borders system enables checks to be made on individuals arriving or exiting the UK, but does not collect information specifically on individuals identified as overstayers, except when they leave the UK on certain routes.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when she intends to answer the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 21 May 2012 with regard to Mr M. Awan;
	(2)  when she plans to answer the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 21 May 2012 with regard to Shelley Johnson.

Damian Green: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 25 June 2012.

Proceeds of Crime

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2012, Official Report, column 67W, on proceeds of crime, 
	(1)  whether the sums awarded to her Department were allocated for a specific use; and what the sums provided to her Department were used for;
	(2)  what proportion of the sums allocated to her Department were used for crime prevention in 2011-12.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 27 June 2012
	Under the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme, half of all assets recovered are returned to law enforcement and prosecution agencies involved in the asset recovery process, and half forms part of the Home Office budget.
	In 2010-11 this funding was used to support a range of activity including core funding for the police, the Serious Organised Crime Agency, Regional Asset Recovery Teams, and work on crime prevention including projects on knife crime and ending gang violence.
	As the sums received by the Home Office are not directly attributable to individual budget lines but instead form part of the aggregate budget available for distribution it would not be possible, without incurring disproportionate cost, to provide a full breakdown of what proportion of funding was used for crime prevention.

Proceeds of Crime

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2012, Official Report, column 67W, on proceeds of crime, how much each Department covered by the amount paid to other Government Departments received in 2010-11.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 27 June 2012
	The value of assets recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) in 2010-11 and provided to other Government Departments was £6.4 million.
	The breakdown of how that sum was divided is contained in the following table:
	
		
			 Agency £ 
			 Serious Fraud Office 3,697,637,24 
			 Department for Work and Pensions 1,333,178.22 
			 Financial Services Authority 565,648.63 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 246,633.84 
			 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 213,660.07 
			 Environment Agency 153,111.21 
			 Security Industry Authority 64,279.58 
			 Marine Management Organisation 63,411,56 
			 Department for Social Development (Northern Ireland) 32,652.51 
			 Vehicle Operator Services Authority 26,779.58 
			 Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency 15,248.55 
			 Ministry of Defence 11,276.85 
			 Royal Mail 2,125.68 
			 Gambling Commission 1,875.00

Proceeds of Crime

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2012, Official Report, column 67W, on proceeds of crime, who decides how much money is allocated to the relevant bodies; and by what means such allocations are calculated.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 27 June 2012
	Under the asset recovery incentivisation scheme, half of all assets recovered are returned to law enforcement and prosecution agencies involved in the asset recovery process.
	The Home Office calculates quarterly the amounts to be allocated.
	For cash forfeitures, civil recovery and taxation, agencies receive a 50% share of the money remitted to the Home Office.
	For confiscation receipts, 50% of the receipts to the Home Office are split between the investigation, prosecuting and enforcing agencies in the following ratio: 18.7%: 18.7%: 12.5%.

Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what regulations her Department introduced between 1 February and 31 May 2012; and at what cost to the public purse.

Damian Green: The following table sets out the regulations which the Department introduced between 1 February and 31 May 2012.
	In general, there was no identifiable cost to the public purse flowing from the introduction of these regulations with the following proviso.
	In some cases, the Explanatory Memorandum to the regulations records that the impact on the public sector is "minimal" (see the Police/Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/1204) and the Police and Crime Panels (Nominations, Appointments and Notifications) Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/1433)) or "negligible" (see the Police (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/680)).
	Similarly, in the case of the Immigration (Biometric Registration)(Amendment) Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/594), it is expected that the overall cost to the public purse will be negligible when income from fees is taken into account (save for the cost of providing (free) biometric residence permits to certain categories of person such as refugees and persons with humanitarian protection).
	
		
			 Regulations introduced between 1 February 2012 and 31 May 2012 
			 Title S.I. 2012 No. Date made 
			 The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (England, Wales and Scotland) (Revocation) Regulations 2012 2012/385 15 February 2012 
			 The Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 2012/523 23 February 2012 
			 The Police Authority (Amendment) Regulations 2012 2012/536 27 February 2012 
			 The Immigration (Biometric Registration) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 2012/594 28 February 2012 
			 The Police Pensions (Amendment) Regulations 2012 2012/640 28 February 2012 
			 The Police (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2012 2012/680 2 March 2012 
			 The Immigration and Nationality (Cost Recovery Fees) Regulations 2012 2012/813 13 March 2012 
			 The Licensing Act 2003 (Personal licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 2012/946 24 March 2012 
			 The Licensing Act 2003 (Premises licences and club premises certificates) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 2012/955 24 March 2012 
			 The Licensing Act 2003 (Permitted Temporary Activities) (Notices) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 2012/960 24 March 2012 
			 The Licensing Act 2003 (Persistent Selling of Alcohol to Children) (Prescribed Form of Closure Notice) Regulations 2012 2012/963 24 March 2012 
			 The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 2012 2012/971 27 March 2012 
			 The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment No. 2) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2012 2012/973 27 March 2012 
			 The Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987 (Amendment) Regulations 2012 2012/1203 2 May 2012 
			 The Police (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2012 2012/1204 1 May 2012 
			 The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment No. 3) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2012 2012/1311 16 May 2012 
			 The Police and Crime Panels (Nominations, Appointments and Notifications) Regulations 2012 2012/1433 31 May 2012

Tim Larkin

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reasons are for the implementation of an exclusion order against US citizen Tim Larkin; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: It is not Home Office policy to comment on individual cases. Therefore details cannot be provided of this particular case.
	The Home Secretary has the power to exclude from the UK any foreign national whose presence here is not considered conducive to the public good. All exclusion decisions must be justified and there must be a rationale between the exclusion and the legitimate aim being pursued. The decisions themselves must be reasonable, proportionate and consistent.
	This exclusion policy makes a clear distinction between reasonable, moderate debate and statements or actions that deliberately set out to create tensions and cause divisions within society.

HEALTH

Cancer

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on improving the proportion of cancer patients who begin treatment within 62 days of urgent referral from their GP.

Paul Burstow: We have had no discussions with the Trust.
	In the most recent period for which statistics are available (Quarter 4 2011-12) 85.9% of patients, who were urgently referred for suspected cancer by their general practitioner and subsequently diagnosed with cancer, began their first definitive treatment within two months (62 days) at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The operational standard expected of the national health service for the 62-day waiting time standard is 85%.

Carers: Birmingham

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were registered as carers in (a) Birmingham, Selly Oak constituency and (b) Birmingham in each of the last five years.

Paul Burstow: We do not hold this information centrally. However, some local authorities and general practitioners may maintain their own registers of carers.
	In 2011-12, we provided up to £1 million funding to the Royal College of General Practitioners, Carers UK and the Carers Trust (formerly Princess Royal Trust for Carers/Crossroads Care) to take forward a range of initiatives to increase awareness in primary health care of carers of all ages, including young carers.

Cataracts

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made any changes to the NHS guidelines for cataract procedures since 2010; and whether he plans to make any changes in the next two years.

Simon Burns: The Department has made no changes to national health service guidelines on cataract procedures since 2010.
	Primary care trusts are responsible for the commissioning of treatment and services for people with cataracts, taking into account the available evidence on best practice and the needs of the local population.
	From 1 April 2013, clinical commissioning groups will be responsible for the commissioning of most health services, including cataract procedures.
	In March 2012, we asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop a quality standard on cataracts as part of a library of approximately 170 NHS quality standards. NICE has not yet published a timescale for the development of this quality standard.
	A full list of Quality Standards, including information on those currently in development and those already published can be found on NICE'S website at:
	www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qualitystandards/qualitystandards.jsp

Dementia

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much of his Department's budget was allocated to research into dementia in each of the last two years;
	(2)  what recent progress has been made on research into dementia.

Paul Burstow: The Department's expenditure on dementia research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Department's Policy Research Programme was £18.6 million in 2010-11 and £25.1 million in 2011-12.
	In March 2012, the Prime Minister announced as part of the coalition Government's challenge on dementia that the combined value of the NIHR, Medical Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding for research into dementia will increase from £26.6 million in 2009-10 to an estimated £66.3 million in 2014-15. Three champion groups have been convened to bring together the leading organisations and groups with an interest in dementia to support the delivery of the challenge.
	Three meetings of the Better Research Champion Group will be held between June and December 2012 and the frequency of meetings will be reviewed thereafter. The first meeting was held on 8 June 2012, bringing together some of the world's leading dementia scientists to strengthen research coordination and engagement, spanning basic research and translational research. The group will address the challenge of co-ordination and engagement, focusing on the actions needed to strengthen partnerships between research funders, research charities, universities, national health service trusts, providers and the life science industry.
	Four new NIHR biomedical research units in dementia are being funded from April 2012:
	
		
			 NHS organisation University partner 
			 Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust University of Cambridge 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Newcastle University 
			 South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust King's College London Institute of Psychiatry 
			 University College London Hospitals University College London 
		
	
	These research units and NIHR biomedical research centres which include dementia themed research will share their considerable resources and world leading expertise to improve treatment and care.
	The NIHR has completed a £17 million call for applied health research on dementia, as part of the programme of work to push further and faster progress in the prevention, treatment and cure of dementia. A full list of successful research bids will be announced soon.
	The ESRC and NIHR will be working together to support an initiative with up to £13 million funding available for social science research on dementia. The call for proposals will open in the week commencing 9 July and will fund national or international social science research in dementia which can make a significant contribution to scientific, economic and social impact.

Dementia

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to improve early diagnosis for dementia;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to raise awareness of the early signs of dementia.

Paul Burstow: Early, accurate diagnosis is important so that people with dementia can access information, treatment and support and can make decisions about their future. Raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of dementia and improving early diagnosis are a key part of the challenge on dementia announced by the Prime Minister. We are taking forward a number of actions to ensure that diagnosis rates improve across the country and that the level of variation between primary care trusts is reduced. For example, the Commissioning for Quality and Innovation goal will ensure that people aged 75 and over admitted to hospital as an emergency will be assessed for their risk of dementia so that they are diagnosed early and get the right support. We are also taking forward a behaviour change campaign starting in 2012-13 to encourage people to see their general practitioner at an earlier stage. This will build on the 2010 dementia awareness campaign, which showed a positive impact on awareness, recognition of symptoms and attitudes to dementia.

Drugs: Misuse

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what incentives he plans to offer to health and well-being boards to fund drug prevention programmes aimed at young people.

Anne Milton: Local authority commissioners will work through health and well-being boards to develop a comprehensive analysis of health and social care needs in each local area, called joint strategic needs assessments, and to translate these into action through joint health and well-being strategies and their own commissioning plans, including for public health. This will provide an opportunity for needs around drug prevention to be identified and addressed as appropriate through action by the local authority and other partners.
	One of the most effective approaches for preventing young people from using drugs is to improve their general life skills and resilience. The Department's Youth Social Marketing Strategy will set out how we intend to help young people build these skills and be able to make sensible choices on a wide range of risky behaviours, including drug use. The Public Health Grant which will be allocated to local authorities during 2013-14 will also include funding for the Healthy Child Programme for five to 19-year-olds.

Health Education

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding his Department has allocated to campaigns highlighting (a) men's and (b) women's health issues in each of the last 10 years.

Anne Milton: The Department has funded a number of health-related campaigns, most of which are not gender specific, but which are nevertheless intended to improve the health of men and women. It is not therefore straightforward to provide an overall figure for the funding of such campaigns. However, over the last 10 years the Department has provided funding for some campaigns that highlight awareness of particular gender-related issues. For example, it has funded the Men's Health Forum to support health issues relevant to men and has provided funding to highlight awareness of male cancers. Also, in 2008, the Department introduced an immunisation programme against human papillomavirus (HPV), which is aimed at preventing infection by HPV strains that are most likely to lead to cervical cancer in women.

Heart Disease

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) men and (b) women who will be diagnosed with heart disease before the age of 75 in each of the next five years; and what plans his Department has to reduce this number.

Simon Burns: The Department has made no such estimate. We do know that, because of an aging population, there will be an increase in the prevalence of heart disease. Other factors may also influence incidence, particularly lifestyle factors.
	Over the last decade mortality from heart disease has reduced by 40%. The national health service continues to work hard to reduce heart disease. For example, it is currently implementing the NHS Health Check programme. This is a risk assessment and risk management programme aimed at people between 40 to 74 designed to reduce their risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. On average, the programme could prevent 1,600 heart attacks and strokes a year, and detect at least 20,000 cases of diabetes and kidney disease (risk factors for heart disease) earlier. A cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy is also being developed which will help to identify what will make the biggest impact on reducing the burden of heart disease now and in the future.

Heart Disease: Males

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of men diagnosed with heart disease in (a) England and (b) Leeds Primary Care Trust area in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: The table provides a count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) with a diagnosis of heart disease for males in England country of residence and Leeds primary care trust (PCT) of residence for the years 2006-07 to 2010-11.
	These data are not a count of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion. Heart disease is a broad term. The table includes all the conditions that can be found in the ICD-10 Alphabetical Index under the specific term 'heart disease', as well as other conditions that cannot be directly indexed under this term but are diseases/conditions of the structures of the heart and may also be considered 'heart disease'.
	
		
			 A count of finished admission episodes (FAEs)(1) of males with a primary diagnosis(2) or diagnosis mention(3) of heart disease for (a) England country of residence(4) and (b) Leeds PCT of residence(5) for the years 2006-07 to 2010-11(6) 
			 Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Leeds PCT 3,551 3,401 3,591 3,758 3,590 
		
	
	
		
			 England 336,729 342,043 344,902 341,396 341,223 
			 (1) Finished admission episodes: A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. (2) Primary diagnosis: The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. (3) Number of episodes in which the patient had a (named) primary or secondary diagnosis: The number of episodes where this diagnosis was recorded in any of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a HES record. Each episode is only counted once, even if the diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record. (4) Country of Residence: The country containing the patient's normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another area or region for treatment. England is defined as: Q30—North East SHA of Residence Q31—North West SHA of Residence Q32—Yorkshire and the Humber SHA of Residence Q33—East Midlands SHA of Residence Q34—West Midlands SHA of Residence Q35—East of England SHA of Residence Q36—London SHA of Residence Q37—South East Coast SHA of Residence Q38—South Central SHA of Residence Q39—South West SHA of Residence U—England Not Otherwise Specified (5) SHA/PCT of residence: The strategic health authority (SHA) or primary care trust (PCT) containing the patient's normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another SHA/PCT for treatment. (6) Assessing growth through time: HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures that may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

Hospital Beds: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change there has been in the number of NHS beds in the South London Healthcare NHS Trust area in each year since 2005.

Simon Burns: The following tables show the average daily number of available beds for this trust and its predecessor organisations.
	
		
			 Average daily number of available beds 
			   Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 
			   Beds open overnight Beds open day only Beds open overnight Beds open day only Beds open overnight Beds open day only 
			 2004-05 Annual 561 41 551 41 444 42 
			 2005-06 Annual 481 48 552 90 428 45 
			 2006-07 Annual 510 55 533 89 386 46 
			 2007-08 Annual 455 — 530 99 387 44 
			 2008-09 Annual 471 — 490 102 408 45 
		
	
	
		
			 South London Healthcare NHS Trust 
			   Beds open overnight Beds open day only 
			 2009-10 Annual 1,334 152 
			 2010-11 Quarter 1 1,232 174 
			 2010-11 Quarter 2 1,205 162 
			 2010-11 Quarter 3 1,237 151 
			 2010-11 Quarter 4 1,162 177 
			 2011-12 Quarter 1 1,125 144 
			 2011-12 Quarter 2 1,102 161 
			 2011-12 Quarter 3 1,096 173 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12 Quarter 4 1,136 182 
			 Note: The data represents an annual collection from all national health service organisations that have beds, both trusts and primary care trusts that collected the total number of available bed days and the total number of occupied bed days by ward classification. From Quarter 1 2010-11 the collection was changed to a quarterly collection. The classification was changed from ward type to the consultant speciality of the responsible consultant. In 2009 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust, Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust, Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust merged to form South London Healthcare NHS Trust. Source: Department of Health

Mental Health

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to promote good mental health and well-being in his Department.

Simon Burns: The Department is dedicated to ensuring that it provides a positive working environment to its employees, where positive mental health is promoted and staff with mental health problems are supported.
	The Department has recently updated its internal mental health policy and intranet pages. The policy has a focus on promoting good mental health in the workplace, tackling stigma and supporting staff. This update was cascaded to all staff within the Department.
	The Department also provides an occupational health service; an employee assistance programme that also includes a free counselling service for staff; and a variety of learning and development opportunities to build resilience and manage stress.
	The Department has also recently renewed its Mindful Employer charter status; and has also signed up to the responsibility deal on mental health reasonable adjustments, to ensure that people with mental health conditions are managed at work in the best way possible with reasonable flexibilities and workplace adjustments.

Dementia: Accidents

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the number of people diagnosed with (a) dementia and (b) Alzheimer's who were involved in road traffic accidents in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: The Department for Transport does not hold any data on the number of people diagnosed with dementia or with Alzheimer's who are involved in road traffic accidents.

NHS: Finance

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what savings were made within the NHS under the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention challenge in 2011-12; under what budget headings; and how much was saved as a result of the NHS staff pay freeze.

Simon Burns: Primary care trusts reported total efficiency savings of £5.8 billion in 2011-12 towards the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention challenge. These savings are split into 10 categories. Total savings in each category were published on page 26 of “The Year: NHS Chief Executive's Annual report 2011/12”. This report can be viewed at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/health/files/2012/06/the-year-and-quarter-4-210612-gw-17802-PDF-2.33MB.pdf
	Separately, the Department estimates savings from the pay freeze at around £850 million on the Hospital and Community Health Services paybill in 2011-12. This reflects a headline pay freeze for all staff with full-time equivalent basic earnings of £21,000 or over and a £250 basic pay award for other staff.

NHS: Property

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he plans to ensure the smooth transfer of ownership of NHS properties previously owned by primary care trusts on 31 March 2013; what transfer measures he has put in place; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: On 8 June, the Department published guidance for primary care trusts (PCTs) on planning for property transfers. The guidance sets out the actions, and timing, required from PCTs in preparing for the transfer of property to successor bodies on 31 March 2013.
	The key steps for PCTs in the run up to transition are to:
	identify all property and legal charges that will need to be transferred and recorded in Property Transfer Schemes;
	identify all other assets, rights and liabilities that will need to be transferred and recorded in Property Transfer Schemes. This will include identifying not only assets held such as equipment and IT but also identifying, options, overages, grant agreements, development agreements, warranties and guarantees given;
	provide any other information that is essential to the transfer of ownership of estate to facilitate operation and management without causing disruption to services provided; and
	to transfer estate without disruption to services provided.
	This guidance is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Lettersandcirculars/Dearcolleagueletters/DH_134521
	Copies of the guidance have also been placed in the Library.

NHS: Public Appointments

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are used in determining the need for a National Clinical Director post to be (a) set up and (b) discontinued; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: National clinical directors (NCDs) lead specific national improvement effort in their field of clinical expertise where we determine that such extra effort is needed to provide better quality services in that specialty, or to deal with variations in provision or in outcomes. The typical NCD role is to identify the problems facing a specialty, build a consensus on how to solve them, and lead the change.
	Since 2007 appointments of NCDs have been on a part-time basis, typically two or three days per week, and for a time-limited period, typically three years. The NCDs remain employees of their host organisation (typically a national health service trust) and are seconded to the Department for the proportion of their time they spend on their NCD role. This allows those appointed to remain active in clinical practice while serving as an NCD and also to return to their practice at the end of their term of office.
	Appointments of NCDs are made through open competition, save in exceptional circumstances. Proposals to appoint NCDs are currently agreed by Ministers. In future any such appointment decisions will be the responsibility of the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB). The NHS CB will develop the criteria for recruiting clinical leads and for discontinuing any such appointments.

Obesity: Children

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what comparative assessment he has made of rates of childhood obesity in the UK and other European countries.

Anne Milton: The Department has not undertaken a comparative assessment of childhood obesity rates in the United Kingdom and other European countries.
	The National Obesity Observatory has produced a paper which sets out international comparisons of childhood obesity prevalence. This includes information on prevalence in a number of European countries. This information is available at:
	www.noo.org.uk/NOO_about_obesity/international/

Post-mortems

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place to ensure that body scanners are available for the post mortem of the bodies of Muslims and people of other religions where there is a religious obligation to seek to preserve the integrity of the body.

Anne Milton: A joint working party (consisting of the Ministry of Justice and experts in autopsy and post mortem imaging under the chairmanship of Professor Erika Denton, National Clinical Director for Imaging) is considering current practice and the potential for extending the use of imaging in the coronial post mortem process. Two reports are expected to be completed shortly.
	The ongoing research ‘Diagnosis of cause of death in adults by post mortem imaging: a validation study’ has identified a number of national health service trusts and independent health care providers that have local agreements to provide access to imaging for use in the coronial post mortem process.

Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations his Department introduced between 1 February and 31 May 2012; and at what cost to the public purse.

Simon Burns: The Department has introduced 24 regulations between 1 February and 31 May 2012. Information on the cost to the public purse is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost to the Department.
	
		
			 Statutory instrument number Title Come into force 
			 2012/387 The Personal Injuries (NHS Charges) (Amounts) Amendment Regulations 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/417 The National Health Service (Functions of Strategic Health Authorities and Primary Care Trusts and Administration Arrangements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/470 The National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Amendment Regulations 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/476 The Special Health Authorities (Establishment and Constitution Orders) Amendment Order 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/502 The National Health Service (Primary Dental Services) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2012. 1 April 2012 
			 2012/504 The Medicines (Products for Human Use) (Fees) Regulations 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/515 The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/610 The National Health Service Pension Scheme and Injury Benefits (Amendment) Regulations 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/663 The National Assistance (Sums for Personal Requirements) Amendment (England) Regulations 2012 9 April 2012 
			 2012/677 The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion (Display and Specialist Tobacconists) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 6 April 2012 
			 2012/690 The Authorised Officers (Meat Inspection) (Revocation) (England) Regulations 2012 6 April 2012 
			 2012/755 The Imperial College Healthcare National Health Service Trust (Establishment) and the Hammersmith Hospitals National Health Service Trust and the St Mary's National Health Service Trust (Dissolution) (Amendment) Order 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/779 The National Health Service Trusts (Originating Capital) Order 2012 31 March 2012 
		
	
	
		
			 2012/788 The Torbay and Southern Devon Health Service Trust (Establishment) Order 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/786 The Isle of Wight NHS Trust (Establishment) 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/796 The Barts Health National Health Service Trust (Establishment) and the Barts and The London National Health Service Trust, the Newham University Hospital National Health Service Trust and the Whipps Cross University Hospital National Health Service Trust (Dissolution) Order 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/803 The Trafford Healthcare National Health Service Trust (Dissolution) Order 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/950 The Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust (Transfer of Trust Property) Order 2012 1 April 2012 
			 2012/970 The National Health Service (Primary Medical Services) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2012 30 April 2012 
			 2012/1108 The Health Research Authority (Amendment) Regulations 2012 28 May 2012 
			 2012/1109 The Health Research Authority (Establishment & Constitution) Order 2012 28 May 2012 
			 2012/1155 The Food Additives (England) (Amendment) and the Extraction Solvents in Food (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2012 28 May 2012 
			 2012/1186 The Care Quality Commission (Registration and Membership) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 31 May 2012 
			 2012/1319(C. 47) The Health and Social Care Act 2012 (Commencement No.1 and Transitory Provisions) Order 2012 Various

Telephone Services

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private sector call centre staff were used by his Department and its agencies in each of the last three financial years; and at what cost to the public purse.

Simon Burns: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is an agency of the Department and has eight call centres, one of which uses private sector IT Helpdesk staff. The figures for the last three financial years and cost are as follows:
	
		
			  Headcount Cost (excluding VAT) (£) 
			 2009-10 6 247,509 
			 2010-11 5 211,979 
			 2011-12 5 173,631 
		
	
	NHS Shared Business Services has a call centre facility using private sector staff in the United Kingdom and India. The breakdown is as follows:
	The UK (Bristol): 27
	India (Noida): 65
	To identify the specific cost and the headcount for the last three financial years would involve a substantial and widespread trawl of these services, which would incur disproportionate cost.
	In addition, the Department funds, or contributes towards costs, for a number of specific services, which may include telephone contact centres or helpdesk services. To identify them would involve a substantial and widespread trawl of these services, which would incur disproportionate cost.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the impact of 18 week targets on survival rates at secondary care facilities operated by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust between their introduction and June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Department has made no assessment of the impact of the 18 weeks target on survival rates at secondary care facilities operated by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust between their introduction and June 2010.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Bangladesh

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the high commissioner for Bangladesh on the disappearance of Mr M Ilias Ali.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has had no recent discussions with the high commissioner for Bangladesh about the disappearance of Mr Ali.
	I visited Bangladesh from 28 to 30 May 2012 and raised the issue of Mr Ali's disappearance during meetings with the Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, and the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Khaleda Zia. Our high commissioner to Bangladesh has also raised the case of Mr Ali on a number of occasions.
	We continue to urge the Bangladeshi authorities to do all they can to investigate disappearances in Bangladesh, including that of Mr Ali.

Climate Change: International Co-operation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made in appointing a new Special Representative for Climate Change; when he expects to make such an appointment; what discussions he has had on the priorities for this post holder in the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Henry Bellingham: A process is in place to recruit a replacement to the outgoing Special Representative for Climate Change. The successful candidate will be announced in due course. The role will be to continue to pursue British interests through a foreign policy-led programme of climate diplomacy.

Egypt

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department is providing to maintain security at crossing points on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

Alistair Burt: We are not currently providing any support to maintain security at crossing points on the border between Gaza and Egypt. At present, Hamas controls the Palestinian side of these crossing points. The UK does not have any direct contact with Hamas. The Quartet have set out clearly that Hamas must renounce violence, recognise Israel and accept previously signed agreements.
	The EU Border Assistance Mission Rafah (EUBAM Rafah) was launched on 24 November 2005, to monitor the operations of the border crossing point between the Gaza Strip and Egypt and build Palestinian capacity in border management, after Israel and the Palestinian Authority concluded an Agreement on Movement and Access on 15 November 2005. However, EUBAM Rafah has been unable to fulfil its mandate since 2007 because the EU classifies Hamas as a terrorist organisation and therefore does not have direct contact with Hamas.

Mental Health

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote good mental health and well-being in his Department.

Henry Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has a number of procedures in place to promote good mental health and wellbeing. These include a stress management framework abased on the Health and Safety Executive's management standards and access to an Employee Assistance Programme. Staff are encouraged to take their full leave entitlement, work conditioned hours and adopt flexible working practices. An e-learning package on managing stress is available and we are offering a growing number of training interventions focusing on building resilience. Our Health and Welfare, Occupational Health and Disability teams are available to offer advice to officers and their managers on:
	Managing health problems in work.
	Returning to health following an absence because of illness.
	Avoiding work-related health problems and assisting in their management if they do occur.
	Promoting healthy lifestyle choices.

Western Sahara

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2012, Official Report, column 419W, on Western Sahara, whether UK nationals in the part of Western Sahara not under Moroccan control are able to cross the berm to reach the embassy in Rabat.

Alistair Burt: There are thousands of unexploded mines in Western Sahara, and occasional reports of fatal explosions. The only safe way to cross the Berm is by air.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice is clear that British nationals should register with the British embassy in Rabat before visiting Western Sahara. The British embassy can only provide emergency consular services in Western Sahara.

Western Sahara

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2012, Official Report, column 419W, on Western Sahara, with which parties his Department has had discussions on matters concerning UK citizens working in the part of Western Sahara under the control of Polisario.

Alistair Burt: We are not aware of any UK citizens working in the part of Western Sahara not under Moroccan control. British nationals are advised to register with the British embassy in Rabat before travelling to Western Sahara.

TREASURY

Air Passenger Duty

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the proposed change to levying air passenger duty on a per plane rather than per passenger basis.

Chloe Smith: The Government has not made any such estimates. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 26 June 2012, Official Report, column 244W.

Bank Services

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the regulation protecting consumers from systems errors affecting online bank accounts.

Mark Hoban: It is a condition of a bank's licence that it has adequate internal control mechanisms, and effective procedures to identify, manage and report on any risks to which it might be exposed.
	The application of the rules is a matter for the regulator, the Financial Services Authority. The regulator has set out specific requirements in its handbook for regulated firms relating to internal systems and controls. The handbook has statutory force.

Business: Loans

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of (a) businesses and (b) small and medium-sized businesses in (i) Witham constituency and (ii) Essex which have received bank loans since the conclusion of the Merlin Agreement.

Mark Hoban: Banks do not publish lending data at this level of disaggregation. However banks do provide a range of information on lending and the geographical location of such lending. As part of the British Bankers Association (BBA) Better Finance Taskforce, the BBA committed to publishing an enhanced SME lending dataset that would include a regional breakdown. The first dataset was published on 20 March 2012 and will be published on a quarterly basis. The data include value of overdraft and loan balances, number and value of approved applications for new or increased loan and overdraft facilities, value of new or increased loans drawn down and value of loan repayments. These data can be found on the BBA website:
	http://www.bba.org.uk/statistics/article/banks-support-for-smes-july-to-december-2011

Company Cars: Capital Allowances

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what impact assessment of the UK's low and zero-emission vehicle manufacturing sector he conducted prior to the announcement in Budget 2012 that leased business cars would not be eligible for first year capital allowances;
	(2)  what representations he has received from (a) the low and zero-emission vehicle manufacturing sector and (b) other businesses since announcing that leased business cars would not be eligible for first year capital allowances;
	(3)  what consultation he conducted with (a) the low and zero-emission vehicle manufacturing sector and (b) other businesses before announcing that leased business cars would not be eligible for first year capital allowances;
	(4)  what savings he expects to accrue to the Exchequer from exempting low and zero-emission vehicles leased by businesses from first year capital allowances.

Chloe Smith: The Chancellor of the Exchequer routinely considers the fiscal and economic implications of tax policy options as part of the annual Budget process. It is not expected that these changes will have a substantial impact on the overall UK economy or on administrative costs for business. A tax information and impact note setting out expected impacts will be published at Budget 2013 prior to the changes being legislated in Finance Bill 2013.
	Treasury Ministers and officials meet with, and receive representations from, a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.
	The Government do not consult on rate changes before they are announced. Expenditure on cars for leasing will from 1 April 2013 qualify for standard capital allowance rates of 18% per annum instead of a first year allowance of 100%, aligning their treatment with other leased assets.
	The changes to capital allowance rates applicable to leased cars affects the timing of when the tax allowance is claimed, rather than the overall amount of allowance, and so the Exchequer impact is expected to be broadly revenue neutral. At the Budget policy costings were published that explain the overall cost of the package of changes and the methodology used. This document can be accessed via this link
	http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2012_policy_costings.pdf

Equitable Life: Compensation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2012, Official Report, column 74W, on Equitable Life, how many updates (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department have received from the Equitable Life Payment Scheme in the last year.

Mark Hoban: The Treasury has received many updates in different forms and frequencies and the information could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. However, the scheme has published a further progress report on its website:
	http://equitablelifepaymentscheme.independent.gov.uk/

EU Internal Trade

William Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information his Department holds on current account transactions for goods and services as (a) imports and (b) exports between each EU member state and each other EU member state in each of the last 10 years.

Mark Hoban: The Treasury does not directly hold data on current account transactions for goods and services between EU member states.
	The data are compiled by the IMF and published in the Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS) database, which is available online at
	http://elibrary-data.imf.org/DataExplorer.aspx

Excise Duties: Gaming Machines

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from the electronic gaming machine industry on his announcement on the rate of machine games duty.

Chloe Smith: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with, and receive representations from, a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.

Excise Duties: Gaming Machines

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to lower the rate of machine games duty in the event that it generates more revenue than the revenue-neutral estimate.

Chloe Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 April 2012, Official Report, columns 1068-69W, to the hon. Member for Colchester (Sir Bob Russell).
	The Government believe the announced rate to be revenue neutral and foresees no requirement to change it. However, the Government keep all taxes under review. Any future changes to tax rates would take into account a wide range of factors.

Excise Duties: Gaming Machines

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will lower the rate of machine games duty to 18%.

Chloe Smith: As announced at Budget 2012, the standard rate of machine games duty will be 20%, and the lower rate will be 5% of net takings.

Excise Duties: Gaming Machines

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider postponing the implementation of machine games duty until 2014 to ensure that the rate is revenue-neutral.

Chloe Smith: Subject to legislation in Finance Bill 2012, machine games duty (MGD) will be implemented on 1 February 2013.
	The Government have published a technical note describing the data and methodology used to calculate the standard and lower rates of MGD. This shows how, based on a thorough analysis of all the available evidence, the rates are set in a way which is intended to achieve revenue neutrality for the Exchequer. This can be found on the following webpage:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consult_machine_games_duty.htm

Excise Duties: Gaming Machines

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the rate of machine games duty on jobs in the gaming machine industry in the next five years; and if he will review the rate of machine games duty.

Chloe Smith: The assessment of the impact of machine games duty on individuals and businesses is available in the relevant Tax Information and Impacts Note published at Budget 2012. This document is accessible at the HMRC website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/tiin-0738.pdf
	The Government keep all taxes under review.

Felixstowe Learning Trust

Therese Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Treasury Solicitor to direct the registration of land formerly owned by Felixstowe Learning Trust to Suffolk county council.

Nick Gibb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Education.
	The beneficial interests in the land are unclear and the Education Funding Agency is making inquiries to establish what they are. Until then it is not possible to say how the land might be dealt with.

Fuels: Prices

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to implement a fuel price stabiliser.

Chloe Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement I made on 21 March 2012, Official Report, column 57WS. The fair fuel stabiliser took effect from 21 March 2012.

Health Insurance

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff working in his Department are entitled to private health care as part of their remuneration package.

Chloe Smith: HM Treasury staff do not as a matter of course have any private health care entitlements although there are some discounts offered to civil servants, including HM Treasury officials, by providers of private health insurance.
	There are 26 staff employed by HM Treasury who are entitled to private health care and currently 24 have taken up the option. Staff with these health care entitlements are ex-employees of Partnerships UK (PUK) who transferred permanently into the Department on 1 August 2010. These individuals maintained their contractual PUK terms and conditions which are protected by The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE).

Housing: Construction

John Healey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the economic multiplier effect of (a) public and (b) private investment in house building.

Danny Alexander: House building in the UK has a predominantly domestic supply chain. That all else being equal, would tend to support a higher economic multiplier. While the economic multipliers of public and private sector house building are likely to be similar, economic impacts will vary with labour market conditions and the amount of spare capacity within the economy.

Income Tax

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Strangford constituency pay tax at (a) 20%, (b) 40% and (c) 50%.

David Gauke: It is estimated that there were 41,000 basic rate taxpayers and 3,000 higher rate taxpayers in Strangford parliamentary constituency in 2009-10.
	These estimates are based on the 2009-10 Survey of Personal Incomes data, the latest outturn survey available. Reliable estimates for later years based on the projected SPI data, are not available due to greater uncertainties in projections for small geographical areas.
	Estimates of additional rate taxpayer numbers in 2010-11 from self-assessment data are not published for local areas for reasons of taxpayer confidentiality.

Leveson Inquiry

Tom Watson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of all documents, emails and text messages he submitted to the Leveson inquiry. [R]

Chloe Smith: holding answer 26 June 2012
	Copies of all documents, e-mails and text messages submitted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Leveson inquiry are available on the Leveson inquiry website:
	http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/

Mental Health

John Pugh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to promote good mental health and well-being within his Department.

Chloe Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Economic Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), on 24 March 2011, Official Report, column 1248W.
	HM Treasury is committed to the well-being and promotion of good mental health of its employees.
	Information and training is provided to employees on the management of stress at work.
	Other services available to Treasury staff include a staff support network, an occupational health advisor and access to a 24/7 confidential employee assistance programme. A wide range of therapies and clinics are also run on site which are available to staff to purchase. Staff surveys are used to monitor staff perceptions of workload and flexible working policies are in place to support work-life balance.

LIBOR

Steven Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the need for a Competition Commission inquiry into the routine procedures for setting LIBOR.

Mark Hoban: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced in the House of Commons on 2 July 2012, Official Report, columns 612-14, that the Government have committed to an independent review of the regulation of LIBOR, to be headed by Martin Wheatley (CEO designate of the Financial Conduct Authority) and has proposed the establishment of a full Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry comprised of representatives from both the Commons and the Lords, and set up by a Joint Resolution of both Houses into professional standards in the financial services industry. We expect the review and inquiry will draw on relevant expertise, including competition authorities, as appropriate.

Mobile Phones

Tom Watson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) make, (b) model and (c) network provider was of each mobile telephone device he has been officially issued with in chronological order since May 2010.

Chloe Smith: The mobile network provider for the Department is Vodafone.

Mobile Phones

Tom Watson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) telephone calls and (b) text messages he received to mobile telephone devices officially issued to him in each month since May 2010.

Chloe Smith: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

National Loan Guarantee Scheme

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many loans have been (a) offered and (b) taken up by businesses under the National Loan Guarantee Scheme since its launch.

Mark Hoban: Over 10,000 loans have been offered to businesses under the National Loan Guarantee Scheme in the first three months since its launch. The Government are in the process of appointing an auditor for the NLGS and will report in due course.

National Loan Guarantee Scheme

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many loans he expects to be made under the National Loan Guarantee Scheme during financial year (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14; and what the total expected value is of those loans.

Mark Hoban: The Government have set aside £20 billion to provide guaranteed funding to banks over two years. It is up to banks to decide how many loans they will make under the scheme.

Overseas Trade: Commonwealth

William Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information his Department holds on current account transactions for goods and services as (a) imports and (b) exports between each Commonwealth member state and each other Commonwealth member state in each of the last 10 years.

Mark Hoban: The Treasury does not directly hold data on current account transactions for goods and services between commonwealth member states.
	The data are compiled by the IMF and published in the Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS) database, which is available online at
	http://elibrary-data.imf.org/DataExplorer.aspx

Regional Pay

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department has taken to introduce regional pay since 20 March 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Danny Alexander: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the opposition debate on regional pay on 20 June 2012, Official Report, columns 937-86.

Public Expenditure

Jim Murphy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether savings made in his Department's Reserve are included in the HM Treasury departmental underspend;
	(2)  whether his Department's Reserve is accounted for as part of its Departmental Expenditure limits.

Chloe Smith: As part of the spending plans announced in spending reviews, the Government allocates a reserve for genuinely unforeseen contingencies that Departments cannot absorb within their departmental expenditure limits.
	The reserve is not included in the Treasury departmental budget and does not contribute to Treasury departmental underspends.

Rebekah Brooks

Tom Watson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer from how many different telephone numbers he has received text messages from Rebekah Brooks since May 2010. [R]

Chloe Smith: Details of contact between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Rebekah Brooks since May 2010 are available on the Leveson inquiry website:
	http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/

Renewables Obligation

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Energy and Climate Change on measures to reduce the cost of subsidising biomass through the Renewables Obligation.

Chloe Smith: The Treasury holds ongoing discussions with the Department of Energy and Climate Change about how to ensure its policies are cost effective and affordable, as with all spending Departments.

Telephone Services

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many private sector call centre staff were used by his Department and its agencies in each of the last three financial years; and at what cost to the public purse.

Chloe Smith: HM Treasury and its agencies do not use private sector call centre staff.

VAT

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect on (a) consumer demand and (b) food manufacturers of his proposals for VAT on hot takeaway food; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any such assessment.

David Gauke: On 28 June 2012 HM Revenue and Customs published on its website a Summary of Responses to its consultation ‘VAT; Addressing VAT borderline anomalies’. A copy has been placed in the Library. Annex B in the document contains a revised assessment of the impacts of the proposed changes to hot take away food.

World War I: Centenary

Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to produce coins to commemorate the centenary of the First World War between 2014 to 2018; and if he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith: The Royal Mint Advisory Committee on the design of coins, medals, seals and decorations recommends designs and themes for coinage to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his capacity as Master of the Mint. Formal approval of all new coin designs is granted by Her Majesty the Queen.
	We expect the themes for 2014 to be announced shortly.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Developing Countries: Famine

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's total spend on famine relief is for the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Mitchell: The first famine of the 21st century was declared by the United Nations in two regions of Somalia on 20 July 2011 and which later spread to four additional areas. The famine was declared over in February 2012.
	Last financial year (2011-12), the UK allocated £79.6 million to humanitarian aid agencies working in Somalia, including in the famine-affected areas.
	UK funding for emergency food assistance worldwide came to £106.6 million over the same period.

International Assistance

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on increasing co-ordination between member states on international development policy.

Stephen O'Brien: I have regular discussions with my European counterparts to ensure strong and clear co-ordination on development policy between member states; to keep up pressure for the EU member states to keep to their Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments by 2015; and to encourage increased impact of EU development aid by targeting resources according to need and impact. My Department held detailed consultations with EU donors in preparing the bilateral and multilateral aid reviews. The EU played a clear role in the Busan conference on development effectiveness, including helping to improve coordination and deliver better results from all donors. My Department's country offices also work very closely with EU donors in the field, holding regular co-ordination meetings, using joint funding mechanisms and working together to improve division of labour, reduce aid fragmentation and minimise bureaucracy.

Overseas Aid

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent in each (a) programme and (b) country on wealth creation in the latest period for which figures are available; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of such spending.

Andrew Mitchell: In 2011-12 the Department for International Development (DFID) spent a total of £549,226,000 on wealth creation (£421,231,000 resource, £127,995,000 capital); this has been provided through national and regional programmes and through bilateral and multilateral inputs. Details (countries, amounts and beneficiaries) can be found in the 2011-12 DFID annual report, published on June 25th and available on our website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/News/Latest-news/2012/Annual-report-New-results-show-UK-aid-is-changing-lives/
	This report also includes the numbers of beneficiaries of this funding. In addition, all DFID programmes are subject to annual reviews, details of which can also be found on DFID's website:
	http://projects.dfid.gov.uk/

Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what regulations his Department introduced between 1 February and 31 May 2012; and at what cost to the public purse.

Alan Duncan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 June 2012, Official Report, column 1056W.

Research

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research his Department has commissioned in each of the last five years; from which organisation each piece of research was commissioned; and what the net worth was of each such commission.

Stephen O'Brien: We are unable to answer this question comprehensively without incurring disproportionate costs. We commission research in agriculture, health, education, growth, climate and the environment, governance, conflict and social development and in cross-cutting issues such as urbanisation. The amount spent on centrally commissioned research over the last five years by DFID is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2007-08 130 
			 2008-09 125 
			 2009-10 177 
			 2010-11 203 
			 2011-12 222 
		
	
	The commissioning of research is largely undertaken directly by competitive tendering. However DFID also commissions research through indirect partnering with other organisations such as the UK research councils who manage a competitive process of research calls on our behalf.
	The main sources of information that can give more precise details relating to this request are as follows:
	ResearchforDevelopment (R4D) is an online portal containing details of research funded by DFID over the last 10 years, in over 30,000 project and document records. You can search the site in many different ways, including by project start and end date. The database also includes details of project spend and the organisations from which research is commissioned:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/R4D/Default.aspx
	DFID's projects database contains summaries of each project DFID funds, including research ones. You can search the database in many different ways, including by start date, and by DFID department, including Research and Evidence Division. The database includes details of project spend by financial year:
	http://projects.dfid.gov.uk/
	DFID Research Report 2009-10 which describes projects that DFID was funding at that time:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d/PDF/Publications/rsrch-rpt-09-10.pdf

Research

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on academic research in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Stephen O'Brien: The most recent period for which figures are available are the last financial year (April 2011 to March 2012) in which DFID spend £222 million on centrally commissioned academic research.
	Research budgets for all research except those that goes through multilateral organisations are published in Statistics for International Development. This is available on the DFID website at:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/How-we-measure-progress/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2011/

Sahel

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what information his Department holds on the extent of support given by the EU to alleviate the food crisis in the Sahel; whether he has had discussions with the President of the Council of Ministers to highlight the food crisis in the Sahel; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: Officials from DFID are in regular contact with their opposite numbers in the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO). ECHO has committed over £144 million to date in response to the Sahel crisis.
	Denmark held the presidency of the Council of Ministers from January 2012 up to the end of last month. The Under-Secretary of State for International Development, my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr O'Brien), has spoken to representatives of the Danish Government about the Sahel crisis in February and May 2012. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), has spoken to Kristalina Georgieva, European Commissioner for International Co-operation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, whose mandate includes ECHO. We have not yet spoken to the Government of Cyprus, the new President of the Council of Ministers.
	The UK has been generous in its commitment to the Sahel response, but we firmly believe that a joint donor effort is needed to address the deepening crisis. UK Ministers and officials have also been calling on other donors around Europe and elsewhere to ensure that they are also contributing their fair share.

Syria

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department plans to provide to the charity Hand in Hands for Syria.

Alan Duncan: The UK has no current plans to provide humanitarian funding to Hand in Hand for Syria. We are already providing substantial support to international organisations and humanitarian agencies with the ability to deliver assistance at the level required to meet the significant needs in Syria and neighbouring countries. UK funds are providing nearly 24,000 families in Syria with emergency food supplies, as well as delivering life-saving medical care, shelter and clean water for tens of thousands of people.
	The UN-managed Emergency Response Fund (ERF), to which the UK has contributed £2 million, will support the work of humanitarian agencies, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), to meet needs in Syria and the region. We have therefore advised Hand in Hand for Syria to contact the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to find out whether they are eligible for ERF funds.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Employment and Support Allowance

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of people who will cease receiving contributory employment and support allowance as a result of the introduction of a one-year time limit in the next 12 months.

Chris Grayling: The impact assessment for time limiting of contributory employment and support allowance (ESA) for claimants in the Work Related Activity Group is available at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/esa-time-limit-wr2011-ia-revised-apr2011.pdf
	Table 1 on page 7 provides an estimate of the numbers affected by ESA time limiting.

Employment and Support Allowance

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 26 June 2012, Official Report, column 218W, on employment and support allowance, how many full-time equivalent staff based in his Department's London headquarters at Caxton House, Tothill Street, worked on employment and support allowance policy in each of the last five years.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not recorded by the Department.

Employment and Support Allowance: East Lothian

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employment and support allowance claimants resident in East Lothian constituency were placed in the (a) work-related activity group and (b) support group in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: Constituency level data are not available.

Employment and Support Allowance: East Lothian

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of those previously on incapacity benefit in East Lothian constituency who have been reassessed for employment and support allowance and (a) placed into the work-related activity group and (b) found fit for work have appealed against the decision.

Chris Grayling: Constituency level data are not available.
	In April 2012, the Department published information on the reassessment of incapacity benefits claimants for employment and support allowance (ESA) at a regional and local authority level for the first time. The table can be found at the following link:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/adhoc_analysis/2012/esa_ibr_outcomes_of_wca_geog_breakdown.xls
	The table only gives figures adjusted for completed appeal outcomes. Information on initial decisions and appeal outcomes is currently not available.

Employment and Support Allowance: Scotland

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average waiting time was for examination of claimants of employment and support allowance in (a) East Lothian constituency and (b) Scotland in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: Constituency level data are not available.
	The statistics requested for Scotland have not previously been published as official statistics. We will consider whether to include the statistics requested in part of an upcoming statistics release in line with the code of practice on official statistics.

Work Programme

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average caseload is per caseworker for each of the prime Work programme contractors in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK.

Chris Grayling: Work programme providers have the freedom and flexibility to design services that work for individuals and communities. This has led to a wide range of delivery models including a wide variety of arrangements between primes and their sub-contractors, which makes it impossible to apply terms such as case load and case worker with any accuracy or consistency across the programme.

Incapacity Benefit

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many recipients of incapacity benefit chose to cease claiming that benefit rather than be retested in the last year for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: In March 2012 the Department released official statistics on the outcomes of incapacity benefits reassessment claims that had been referred for reassessment by the end of July 2011. This includes statistics on the number of incapacity benefits claims that were closed for any reason before the reassessment process was complete.
	The publication can be found on the departmental website at the following link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_ibr

Income Support: East Lothian

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of single parents claiming income support in East Lothian constituency.

Chris Grayling: Information on the number of single parents claiming income support in East Lothian constituency is available on the Department's website at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
	Guidance for users is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf

Jobseeker’s Allowance: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged between 18 and 24 years in Vale of Clwyd constituency had been claiming jobseeker’s allowance for 12 months or more in each of the last 15 months.

Chris Grayling: Statistics on jobseeker’s allowance by age, duration and parliamentary constituency are available from claimant count data and are published on the NOMIS website at:
	https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/

Maternity Leave

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration he has given to granting access to maternity leave to any mother whose child was born to a surrogate mother because of an inability to conceive herself following illness.

Norman Lamb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Department is looking at the possibility of providing leave and pay for parents in surrogacy cases, as part of our ongoing review of the system of maternity, paternity and parental leave in line with the coalition agreement to encourage shared parenting from the earliest stages.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to answer the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 16 April 2012 with regard to Novlyn McFarquhar.

Chris Grayling: I refer the right hon. Member to my written answers of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 268W and 18 June 2012, Official Report, column 709W.

Regional Pay

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to introduce regional pay since 20 March 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: DWP entered the pay freeze in 2010 and will exit it this year.
	In both the autumn statement and the April Budget Statement, the Chancellor announced that there was a case for considering how local pay could better reflect private sector labour markets.
	We are currently actively engaged with Cabinet Office and other Government Departments regarding principles for reform and an agreed view of the market rate and metrics for different roles in different locations.
	No decisions have yet been taken on how local market facing pay will impact on staff in DWP.

Pensioners: British Nationals Abroad

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many British nationals living in another EU member state were in receipt of a UK retirement pension, by member state, in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: The information is not available for British nationals. Statistics on the numbers of people living in each EU member state and receiving a UK retirement pension are available from 100% data and are published on the Department's website at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
	Guidance for users is available at:
	http://83.244.183.180/flows/flows_off/Guidance%20for%20Users.pdf
	Notes:
	1. To access the data, select 'Click here for Benefit Caseload National Statistics (WPLS) data'; 'State Pension'; 'Caseload (Thousands)'—'Country code for abroad cases'—'Gender of claimant'—'NONE'—select the date you require.
	2. EU member states are currently Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania. Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovak Republic and Slovenia joined in 2004. Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007.
	3. Data is currently available between May 2002 and November 2011.

Social Security Benefits: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents of Birmingham, Ladywood constituency were in receipt of benefits amounting to more than those allowable under the benefit cap for which provision is made in the Welfare Reform Act 2012, excluding households which are exempted, in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: The information is not available for Ladywood constituency.

Social Security Benefits: London

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of families who will move home in (a) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency, (b) Tower Hamlets and (c) London following the introduction of the benefit cap on 1 April 2013.

Chris Grayling: The information is not available.
	The benefit cap will mean that people on benefit will face choices about housing costs similar to those faced by people in work. But it will not necessarily mean that they will need to move from their home. Even within the limits of this cap, households will still be able to receive significant amounts of financial assistance from state welfare payments and if a member of the household moves into work and becomes eligible for working tax credit they will be exempt from the impacts of the cap.
	We know which people are likely to be affected by the cap and following the passing of the Welfare Reform Act we have a year to work with them before the cap is introduced. Jobcentre Plus will contact every potential benefit cap claimant to ensure that they are offered the opportunity to discuss employment support and to ensure they are getting the help they need, including, if appropriate, early access to the Work programme.
	If further help is needed, local authorities will be able to consider making discretionary housing payments. Additional resources will be made available for this in the right areas to provide short-term, temporary relief to families who may face a variety of challenges. We will provide up to £75 million for this purpose in 2013-14 and a further £45 million in 2014-15.

Social Security Benefits: Polygamy

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what effect he expects the Welfare Reform Act 2012 will have on members of polygamous relationships claiming benefits.

Chris Grayling: In universal credit any claim made by a member of a polygamous marriage who was not a party to the earliest marriage in the polygamous marriage, will be treated as a single person claimant.

Social Security Benefits: Scotland

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much in benefits would have been paid out to people who were suspended for failing to attend a job interview in Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill constituency in each year from 2007 to 2011.

Chris Grayling: We are unable to say how much in benefits would have been paid out to people who were suspended for failing to attend a job interview unless we reviewed each individual case. We estimate to obtain this information would incur disproportionate costs.

Social Security Benefits: Scotland

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people had their benefit suspended for failing to attend a job interview in Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill constituency in each year from 2007 to 2011.

Chris Grayling: Information on how many people had their benefit suspended for failing to attend a job interview is not available.

Social Security Benefits: Scotland

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) East Lothian constituency and (b) Scotland will have their benefits reduced as a result of the introduction of the benefit cap in April 2013.

Chris Grayling: The information is not available for East Lothian constituency.
	Around 3,000 households in Scotland will have their benefit reduced to the cap level from April 2013.
	The figure presented above is consistent with the impact assessment published on 23 January 2012, where the total number of affected households in Great Britain was estimated as 67,000. Following the concessions made in the House of Commons on 1 February, we estimate that the introduction of an exemption for those in receipt of the support component of employment support allowance and a grace period of 39 weeks for claimants who have been in employment for 52 weeks or more before leaving work will reduce the overall number of households affected in Great Britain to around 57,000.
	This assumes that the situation of these households will go unchanged, and they will not take any steps to either work enough hours to qualify for working tax credit, renegotiate their rent in situ, or find alternative accommodation. In all cases the Department is working to support households through this transition, using existing provision through Jobcentre Plus and the Work programme to move as many into work as possible.

Telephone Services

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many private sector call centre staff were used by his Department and its agencies in each of the last three financial years; and at what cost to the public purse.

Chris Grayling: We are unable to provide a figure for the number of private sector call centre staff utilised during this three year period, without incurring disproportionate cost. Contractual arrangements are in the main, made on a price per call minute rather than on the purchase of a fixed body of staff. It is also important to point out that demand fluctuates on a seasonal basis with purchased capacity differing substantially over the course of a year.

Unemployment: Young People

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to help unemployed 18 to 24 year olds find work.

Chris Grayling: The Government are aware of the problems facing young jobseekers in the labour market and have put in place a substantial menu of provision to help them move into work.
	Jobcentre Plus personal advisers offer a comprehensive menu of help that includes help with jobsearch and skills provision. Advisers have the flexibility to tailor support to the individual at the most appropriate point in their claim. Get Britain Working measures offer additional support, including Work Clubs, work experience, New Enterprise Allowance, Enterprise Clubs and sector based work academies.
	The Work programme provides tailored support to those claimants furthest from the labour market. Young claimants are referred to a provider after nine months and those with more challenging barriers to work can be referred at three months. Providers are paid on the results they achieve, and are paid more for supporting the harder to help into work.
	The Government recently launched a new Youth Contract, worth around £1 billion, which is designed to prevent a new generation of young people falling into the trap of long term unemployment.
	The Youth Contract will provide nearly half a million new opportunities for young people—including wage incentives, incentives to take on apprentices, and extra work experience places. Extra funding is being made available to support the most vulnerable 16 and 17-year-olds not in education, employment or training into learning, an apprenticeship or job with training.
	From later this month, in 20 local authority areas that have been designated 'youth unemployment hot spots', wage incentives will be available via Jobcentre Plus to encourage employers to recruit 18 to 24-year-olds that have been claiming jobseeker's allowance for six months. Further additional advisor time will also be available for young people who live in those areas.

EDUCATION

Academies

Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what measures his Department is taking to ensure that schools located near to academies are not disadvantaged by the capital funding arrangements for the Academies Programme.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 25 June 2012
	Capital maintenance funding is calculated using pupil number data which ensures that a fair and proportionate share of funding is allocated to all local authorities for maintained and voluntary aided schools. The same methodology is used to determine the budget for the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund. This results in an equitable approach to the allocation of capital maintenance funding across the school estate.
	Funding to support the provision of additional pupil places is allocated to local authorities on the basis of data which they return to the Department as part of the annual Schools Capacity Survey to determine the relative need of each area. The local authority is expected to use this capital funding in line with the locally agreed priorities to provide new places, regardless of the type of school.

Academies

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of secondary schools in each local authority area are academies.

Nick Gibb: The proportions of secondary schools that are open as, or in the pipeline to become academies in each local authority are as follows:
	
		
			 Local authority Total number of state-funded mainstream secondary schools Number of open academies Percentage of schools open as academies Number of academies in the pipeline to become as academies Percentage of schools either open or in the pipeline to become academies 
			 Bromley 17 16 94 1 100 
			 Bexley 16 14 88 2 100 
			 Swindon 11 9 82 2 100 
			 Kingston upon Thames 10 8 80 2 100 
			 Darlington 7 7 100 0 100 
			 Rutland 3 3 100 0 100 
			 Cambridgeshire 30 27 90 1 93 
			 North East Lincolnshire 10 9 90 0 90 
			 Westminster 10 6 60 3 90 
			 Doncaster 17 12 71 3 88 
			 Medway 17 14 82 1 88 
			 Southwark 17 11 65 4 88 
			 Richmond upon Thames 8 3 38 4 88 
			 Gloucestershire 39 29 74 5 87 
			 Sutton 14 11 79 1 86 
			 Reading 7 5 71 1 86 
			 Central Bedfordshire 33 20 61 8 85 
			 Hillingdon 18 15 83 0 83 
			 Bournemouth 10 7 70 1 80 
			 Harrow 10 7 70 1 80 
			 North Somerset 10 7 70 1 80 
			 Thurrock 10 8 80 0 80 
			 Leicestershire 54 20 37 23 80 
			 Solihull 14 11 79 0 79 
			 Wakefield 18 10 56 4 78 
			 Barnet 22 14 64 3 77 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 13 7 54 3 77 
			 Nottinghamshire 45 22 49 12 76 
			 Plymouth 16 11 69 1 75 
		
	
	
		
			 Southampton 12 3 25 6 75 
			 Southend-on-Sea 12 9 75 0 75 
			 Torbay 8 4 50 2 75 
			 Bristol City of 21 12 57 4 74 
			 Walsall 19 12 63 2 74 
			 Buckinghamshire 34 24 71 1 74 
			 Brent 15 7 47 4 73 
			 Lincolnshire 55 30 55 10 73 
			 Slough 11 7 64 1 73 
			 Essex 76 51 67 4 72 
			 Havering 18 11 61 2 72 
			 Trafford 18 10 56 3 72 
			 Nottingham 14 7 50 3 71 
			 Middlesbrough 7 3 43 2 71 
			 Hertfordshire 82 41 50 16 70 
			 North Lincolnshire 13 7 54 2 69 
			 Warwickshire 35 20 57 4 69 
			 Wirral 22 10 45 5 68 
			 Northamptonshire 40 21 53 6 68 
			 Somerset 38 23 61 3 67 
			 Kent 100 59 59 8 67 
			 Herefordshire 15 8 53 2 67 
			 Milton Keynes 12 7 58 1 67 
			 Wiltshire 29 17 59 2 66 
			 Sandwell 17 9 53 2 65 
			 Calderdale 14 6 43 3 64 
			 Hounslow 14 8 57 1 64 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 14 6 43 3 64 
			 Croydon 22 11 50 3 64 
			 Peterborough 11 7 64 0 64 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 10 4 40 2 60 
			 Wandsworth 10 3 30 3 60 
			 Devon 37 19 51 3 59 
			 Coventry 19 9 47 2 58 
			 Derby 14 5 36 3 57 
			 Lambeth 14 5 36 3 57 
			 Oxfordshire 34 12 35 7 56 
			 Sheffield 25 5 20 8 52 
			 Cornwall 31 14 45 2 52 
			 Cumbria 37 17 46 2 51 
			 Worcestershire 45 17 38 6 51 
			 Surrey 53 18 34 9 51 
			 Suffolk 67 22 33 12 51 
			 South Gloucestershire 16 5 31 3 50 
			 Hackney 14 6 43 1 50 
			 Oldham 12 6 50 0 50 
			 Gateshead 10 5 50 0 50 
			 West Berkshire 10 4 40 1 50 
			 Merton 8 2 25 2 50 
			 Isle of Wight 6 2 33 1 50 
			 Birmingham 76 28 37 9 49 
			 Manchester 27 12 44 1 48 
			 Bedford 21 9 43 1 48 
			 Norfolk 51 16 31 8 47 
			 Luton 13 5 38 1 46 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 11 2 18 3 45 
			 Bradford 29 9 31 4 45 
			 Poole 9 4 44 0 44 
		
	
	
		
			 Hampshire 70 23 33 8 44 
			 Durham 34 13 38 2 44 
			 Liverpool 30 9 30 4 43 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 14 6 43 0 43 
			 Halton 7 2 29 1 43 
			 East Sussex 26 5 19 6 42 
			 Leeds 38 11 29 5 42 
			 Cheshire West and Chester 19 5 26 3 42 
			 Barnsley 12 1 3 4 42 
			 Warrington 12 0 0 5 42 
			 Tameside 15 5 33 1 40 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 18 5 28 2 39 
			 Redbridge 18 4 22 3 39 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 13 2 15 3 38 
			 Cheshire East 21 7 33 1 38 
			 Wokingham 8 3 38 0 38 
			 Kingston upon Hull City of 14 3 21 2 36 
			 Kirklees 31 8 26 3 35 
			 Sunderland 17 6 35 0 35 
			 Wolverhampton 17 4 24 2 35 
			 Sefton 20 7 35 0 35 
			 Enfield 18 6 33 0 33 
			 Salford 15 3 20 2 33 
			 Greenwich 12 2 17 2 33 
			 Rochdale 12 1 8 3 33 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 6 1 17 1 33 
			 Derbyshire 46 13 28 2 33 
			 Rotherham 16 4 25 1 31 
			 Ealing 13 4 31 0 31 
			 Dudley 20 5 25 1 30 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 10 2 20 1 30 
			 Stockport 14 4 29 0 29 
			 Telford and Wrekin 14 4 29 0 29 
			 Dorset 34 6 18 3 26 
			 Staffordshire 69 13 19 5 26 
			 Waltham Forest 16 2 13 2 25 
			 Haringey 12 3 25 0 25 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 12 2 17 1 25 
			 West Sussex 38 8 21 1 24 
			 Northumberland 47 8 17 3 23 
			 Lewisham 13 3 23 0 23 
			 Lancashire 83 14 17 5 23 
			 Brighton and Hove 9 2 22 0 22 
			 St Helens 9 2 22 0 22 
			 Islington 10 2 20 0 20 
			 Portsmouth 10 1 10 1 20 
			 York 10 2 20 0 20 
			 Hartlepool 5 0 0 1 20 
			 North Yorkshire 47 8 17 1 19 
			 Newham 16 2 13 1 19 
			 Shropshire 22 3 14 1 18 
			 Bolton 17 3 18 0 18 
			 Wigan 18 3 17 0 17 
			 Bracknell Forest 6 1 17 0 17 
			 Knowsley 7 0 0 1 14 
			 Blackpool 8 1 13 0 13 
			 South Tyneside 9 1 11 0 11 
			 Camden 10 0 0 1 10 
		
	
	
		
			 Bury 14 0 0 1 7 
			 North Tyneside 15 1 7 0 7 
			 Tower Hamlets 15 1 7 0 7 
			 Leicester 17 1 6 0 6 
			 Barking and Dagenham 9 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	Information about open academies and those in development are available on the Department for Education website at
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies/b00208569/open-academies

Academies: Admissions

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what process must be followed by an existing academy wishing to extend its age range; and whether an academy could extend its age range beyond the age of 18.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 26 June 2012
	The process to be followed by an existing academy that wishes to extend its age range is that it should first contact the Education Funding Agency (EFA) to discuss the proposal. The EFA will advise the academy to carry out a consultation with interested parties. Following that consultation the academy should submit a business case to the EFA. The EFA will analyse the business case and then make a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), who will approve or reject the request to extend the age range. Once he has made a decision, the EFA will inform the academy. If the request is approved, the funding agreement will be amended to reflect the change.
	As with any significant change, an academy cannot extend its age range beyond 18 without the Secretary of State's permission. The main purpose of academies is to provide primary and/or secondary education. Where the funding agreement permits, an academy can provide further education upon which there are no legal restrictions relating to age. In relation to individual pupils, as with maintained schools, academies have the flexibility to allow a 19-year-old to remain on roll in order to complete a course of secondary education that began before they turned 18.

Academies: Primary Education

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will ask officials in his Department to notify (a) the relevant local education authority and (b) the hon. Member for the relevant constituency when his Department initiates contact with a primary school regarding possible conversion to academy status.

Nick Gibb: All primary schools that are performing well can apply to convert to academy status. Any primary school, irrespective of performance, can apply to join an established academy trust. Primary schools initiate this process by submitting an application to the Department for Education.
	The Academies Act 2010 requires the governing body of a converting school to consult interested parties. Schools decide how they wish to do this and whom to consult. Departmental officials encourage schools to consult their local authority as part of this process.
	The Government aim to find sponsors for the worst performing schools so they can reopen as sponsored academies. Departmental officials work closely with local authorities wherever possible to identify schools and sponsors as well as engaging directly with the school. As a result, local authorities will know which schools in their area may become sponsored academies.
	In all cases, the Secretary of State writes to local authorities to notify them when he issues an academy order in relation to a school. He also writes to the Member of Parliament in whose constituency the school is located when a funding agreement is signed.

Apprentices: North East

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of apprentices in the north-east are aged (a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 years.

John Hayes: The following table shows the number and percentage of Apprenticeship programme starts in the north-east region by learners aged 16, 17 and 18 in 2010/11; the latest year for which final year data are available.
	
		
			 Apprenticeship programme starts by age in the north-east region, 2010/11 
			  Apprenticeship starts Percentage of all age apprenticeship starts 
			 16 2,780 8 
			 17 4,100 12 
			 18 4,200 12 
			 19+ 23,480 68 
			 All age apprenticeships 34,550 100 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Figures may not sum due to rounding. 2. Percentages are calculated based on unrounded figures. 3. Age is calculated based on age at start of the programme. 4. Figures presented for 16-year-olds include a small number of under 16-year-olds. 5. Geography is based upon the home postcode of the learner. Geographic information is based on boundaries of regions as of May 2010. Source: Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	Information on the number of apprenticeship starts by age is published in a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR and supplementary tables were published on 29 March 2012:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_supplementary_tables/

Drugs: Internet

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what the total cost to the public purse has been of the re-launch of the FRANK website;
	(2)  how many (a) unique and (b) total visitors there were to the FRANK website in each month since May 2010.

Sarah Teather: The total cost of the re-launch of the FRANK website was £199,000. This includes £145,000 to design, test and build the new website and £54,000 to design and build the mobile site.
	Unique and total visitors to the FRANK website are detailed in the following table. Note that from December 2011 total visits to the website include those visiting the FRANK mobile site.
	
		
			 Number 
			  Total visits to site Unique visits to site 
			 May 2010 to March 2011   
			 2010   
			 May 222,063 183,101 
			 June 190,626 158,475 
			 July 164,563 137,185 
			 August 154,348 127,746 
			 September 205,021 171,850 
			 October 227,596 188,270 
			 November 241,213 199,583 
			 December 175,214 145,304 
			    
			 2011   
			 January 268,083 223,398 
			 February 239,603 200,781 
			 March 268,641 223,594 
			    
			 FY 2011/12   
			 2011   
			 April 181,509 151,982 
			 May 230,699 193,692 
			 June 231,194 193,945 
			 July 204,693 172,701 
			 August 184,273 156,928 
			 September 235,049 201,518 
			 October 303,206 259,152 
			 November 412,349 335,150 
			 December 357,835 245,847 
			    
			 2012   
			 January 390,015 258,927 
			 February 490,316 341,405 
			 March 376,053 259,840 
			    
		
	
	
		
			 FY 2012/13   
			 2012   
			 April 292,705 194,380 
			 May 385,319 232,301

Education: Assessments

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of the effect of public examinations on educational achievement in Lincolnshire.

Nick Gibb: We publish detailed information on trends in GCSEs results in England providing both summary statistics and statistics on individual subjects in our annual Statistical First Release, “GCSE and Equivalent Results in England”, which is available at the following link:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001056/index.shtml
	Tables 17 and 19 provide time series for key indicators at local authority level and include Lincolnshire.
	The Government is committed to ensuring that our qualifications match the best in the world. We want to give every child the opportunity to acquire the rigorous qualifications they need to succeed in further and higher education and employment.

Education: Yorkshire and Humber

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of children in state education in (a) York and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber passed (i) key stage 1 SATS, (ii) key stage 2 SATS and (iii) five or more GCSEs at grades A to E in (A) 1992 and (B) each year since 1992.

Nick Gibb: National curriculum assessment provides a measurement of achievement against the precise attainment targets of the national curriculum rather than any generalised concept of ability in any of the subject areas. The national curriculum standards have been designed so that most pupils will progress by approximately one level every two years. This means that by the end of Key Stage 1 pupils are expected to achieve Level 2 and by the end of Key Stage 2 are expected to achieve Level 4, there is no measure of passing or failing.
	Statistics for pupils at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 in York and the Yorkshire and Humber region is shown in the following tables.
	Standard measures of attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 include achievement of five or more GCSEs at A*-C grade ("five good GCSEs"). Information for five or more A-E grades could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Statistics for pupils achieving five or more GCSEs at A*-C grades in York local authority and the Yorkshire and Humber region is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Percentage of pupils(1) achieving Level 2 or above in Key Stage 1 assessments for York local authority (LA) and Yorkshire and the Humber Region, Year: 1997/98 to 2010/11, Coverage: England 
			    Reading Writing Maths 
			  Result type Data type York LA Yorkshire and the Humber York LA Yorkshire and the Humber York LA Yorkshire and the Humber 
			 1997/98(2) Task/test Final 83 79 83 81 88 84 
			 1998/99 Task/test Final 84 81 85 82 89 86 
		
	
	
		
			 1999/2000 Task/test Final 87 83 88 84 93 89 
			 2000/01 Task/test Final 87 84 88 86 92 90 
			 2001/02 Task/test Final 86 84 88 86 90 90 
			 2002/03 Task/test Final 87 84 83 81 92 90 
			 2003/04 Task/test Final 88 84 81 81 90 90 
			 2004/05 TA Final 87 84 82 82 91 90 
			 2005/06 TA Provisional 88 83 84 80 90 89 
			 2006/07 TA Provisional 88 82 85 78 92 88 
			 2007/08 TA Provisional 86 82 83 78 91 87 
			 2008/09 TA Provisional 90 83 86 79 92 88 
			 2009/10 TA Provisional 86 83 84 79 91 88 
			 2010/11 TA Provisional 88 83 82 79 91 88 
			 (1) Includes all maintained schools and academies with pupils eligible for assessment at Key Stage 1. (2) Data only available from 1997/98. Source: Key Stage 1 collection 
		
	
	
		
			 Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 or above in Key Stage 2 English and maths tests for York local authority(1) (LA) and Yorkshire and the Humber Region, Year: 1997/98 to 2010/11, Coverage: England 
			   English Maths 
			  Data type York LA Yorkshire and the Humber York LA Yorkshire and the Humber 
			 1997/98(2) Final 70 61 65 56 
			 1998/99 Final 76 67 75 67 
			 1999/2000 Final 78 72 74 70 
			 2000/01 Final 79 72 75 69 
			 2001/02 Final 78 72 76 72 
			 2002/03 Final 75 73 74 71 
			 2003/04 Final 81 76 79 73 
			 2004/05 Final 81 77 78 74 
			 2005/06 Revised 81 77 78 74 
			 2006/07 Revised 84 79 81 76 
			 2007/08 Revised 85 80 79 78 
			 2008/09 Revised 81 78 80 78 
			 2009/10 Revised 84 80 83 81 
			 2010/11 Revised 82 80 83 79 
			 (1) Figures for academies are included (where applicable) in the individual LA figures but figures exclude hospital schools and pupil referral units. (2) Data only available from 1997/98. 
		
	
	
		
			 Percentage of pupils(1) achieving five or more GCSE grades A*-C for York local authority(2) (LA) and Yorkshire and the Humber Region(2), Year: 1995/96 to 2010/11(3,4,5),Coverage: England 
			  York LA Yorkshire and the Humber 
			 1991/92 (6)— 30.9 
			 1992/93 (6)— 33.7 
			 1993/94 (6)— 36.0 
			 1994/95 (6)— 41.1 
			 1995/96 47.7 37.1 
			 1996/97 51.4 37.9 
			 1997/98 48.9 38.7 
			 1993/99 51.5 40.5 
			 1999/2000 52.6 42.1 
			 2000/01 54.2 43.0 
			 2001/02 56.4 44.2 
			 2002/03 58.9 45.6 
			 2003/04(7) 56.6 47.2 
			 2004/05 60.6 51.6 
			 2005/06 62.1 54.5 
			 2006/07 67.5 57.8 
			 2007/08 68.5 62.1 
			 2008/09 73.1 69.2 
			 2009/10(8) 80.7 76.8 
		
	
	
		
			 2010/11 84.3 81.5 
			 (1) Figures from 1991/92 to 2003/04 relate to 15-year-old pupils (age at start of academic year). From 2004/05 to present relate to pupils at the end of Key Stage 4. (2) Local authority and region figures do not include pupils recently arrived from overseas. Local authority and regional figures cover achievements in maintained schools including academies but excludes hospital schools, pupil referral units (PRUs) and alternative provision (AP). (3) Including attempts and achievement in previous academic years. (4) Figures for 2010/11 are revised, all other figures are final. (5) York LA figures only available from 1995/96 when it became a unitary authority. (6 )Not applicable. (7) Figures from before 2003/04 refer to GCSE/GNVQ only. After 2003/04 the figures include GCSE, GNVQ and new approved equivalences. (8) The figures given from 2009/10 onwards includes iGCSEs.

Food Technology: Curriculum

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many four to eleven year-olds received a minimum of 24 hours of practical cooking lessons per key stage in each of the last five years.

Sarah Teather: The Department does not collect this information.
	The Government believe that it is very important that children and young people learn about the importance of eating healthily and acquire the knowledge that will equip them to prepare healthy meals, and we believe that schools have an important role to play.
	Cooking is currently an element of design and technology in the national curriculum. In his recent announcement on the primary curriculum (Monday 11 June 2012), the Secretary of State for Education, the right hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), confirmed that design and technology will continue to be compulsory in all maintained schools in Key Stages 1 and 2, and the Department is now considering what the content of design and technology should be and on which it will consult. Decisions on the subjects to be included in the secondary national curriculum beyond English, maths and science will be announced in due course.

Free School Meals

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children were eligible for free school meals in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: Information on the number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals, for 2008 to 2012, is shown in the tables.
	Information is not available on those who may be eligible but do not make a claim.
	Information on the number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals as at January 2012 is published in the Statistical First Release ‘Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics, January 2012’ available at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001071/index.shtml
	
		
			 Maintained nursery, state-funded primary, state-funded secondary, special schools and pupil referral units(1,2,3,4): Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5,6,7). January each year: 2008 to 2012. England 
			  Maintained nursery and state-funded primary schools(1,2) State-funded secondary schools(1,3) Special schools(4) 
			  No. on roll(5,6) No. of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5,6) % of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals No. on roll(5,6) No. of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5,6) % of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals No. on roll(5,6) No. of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5,6) % of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2008 3,837,680 637,170 16.6 2,913,725 413,365 14.2 78,265 25,705 32.8 
			 2009 3,825,475 652,305 17.1 2,883,245 417,970 14.5 78,030 26,245 33.6 
			 2010 3,838,680 711,405 18.5 2,864,345 441,145 15.4 78,335 27,325 34.9 
			 2011 3,873,175 743,255 19.2 2,837,825 450,275 15.9 79,030 28,830 36.5 
			 2012 3,947,650 760,910 19.3 2,809,815 449,485 16.0 80,505 30,170 37.5 
		
	
	
		
			  Pupil referral units Total(7) 
			  No. on roll(5,6) No. of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5,6) % of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals No. on roll(5,6) No. of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5,6) % of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2008 n/a n/a n/a 6,829,670 1,076,240 15.8 
			 2009 n/a n/a n/a 6,786,750 1,096,525 16.2 
			 2010 15,140 5,050 33.3 6,796,500 1,184,920 17.4 
			 2011 13,725 4,745 34.6 6,803,755 1,227,110 18.0 
		
	
	
		
			 2012 13,235 4,855 36.7 6,851,205 1,245,420 18.2 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes all primary academes, including free schools. (3) Includes city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including free schools. (4) Includes maintained special schools, special academes and non-maintained special schools, excludes general hospital schools. (5) Includes pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. Includes boarders. In pupil referral units includes pupils registered with other providers and further education colleges. (6) Pupils who have full-time attendance and are aged 15 or under, or pupils who have part-time attendance and are aged between five and 15. (7) Includes maintained nursery, state-funded primary, state-funded secondary, special schools, and pupil referral units. Excludes pupils in alternative provision as full- and part-time status is not collected. Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest five. Source: School Census

Further and Higher Education Act 1992

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether section 33J of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 is in force; and to which sixth form colleges that section applies.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 201211 June
	I can confirm that section 33J of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 is in force and applies to those colleges listed in the Specified Sixth Form College Corporation Order 2010 (SI 2010/625).
	Section 33J provides that the governing body of those colleges must include persons appointed for the purpose of securing so far as practicable that the established character of the sixth form college is preserved and developed and, in particular, that the sixth form college is conducted in accordance with any trust deed relating to it.
	The colleges given in the following list are currently covered by section 33J:
	Aquinas College, Stockport
	Cardinal Newman College, Preston
	Carmel College, St Helens
	Christ the King Sixth Form College, Lewisham
	The College of Richard Collyer in Horsham
	Holy Cross College, Bury
	King Edward VI College, Nuneaton
	King Edward VI College, Stourbridge
	Loreto Sixth Form College, Manchester
	Ludlow College, Shropshire
	Notre Dame Sixth-Form College, Leeds
	Palmer's College, Thurrock
	Paston College, Norfolk
	Peter Symonds College, Winchester
	Prior Pursglove College, Guisborough
	Sir John Deane's College, Cheshire
	St Brendan's Sixth Form College, Bristol
	St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College, Kensington
	St Dominic's Catholic Sixth Form College, Harrow
	St Francis Xavier Sixth Form College, London
	St John Rigby Catholic Sixth Form College, Wigan
	St Mary's College, Blackburn
	Strode's College, Surrey
	Xaverian College, Manchester.

Further Education: Inspections

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of full-time Ofsted inspectors who inspect further education or sixth form colleges have worked as a principal or deputy principal in a further education or sixth form college in the last three years.

Nick Gibb: This question is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has written to my hon. Friend, and a copy of his response has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Letter from Sir Michael Wilshaw, dated 25 June 2012
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for response.
	‘Full-time Ofsted inspectors’ is taken to mean Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI). Ofsted has not recruited new HMI for over three years, therefore none of the Ofsted full-time inspectors who inspect further education or sixth form colleges have worked as a principal or deputy principal in a further education or sixth form college in the last three years.
	However, there are 40 HMI who lead the inspection of colleges, including sixth form colleges, on a regular basis. Of these, 4 are former principals, 11 former deputy/vice principals and 19/are former college senior managers.

GCSE

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the cost was of the education of final year students who obtained mathematics and English GCSE at Grade D or below in the most recent academic year for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not collect information on the cost of the education of final year students who obtained mathematics and English GCSE at Grade D or below.

School Funding

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the written statement of 24 May 2012, Official Report, column 82WS, on school funding, whether his Department has calculated how much funding the Grove School, Nottinghamshire will receive; when such funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Education Funding Agency (EFA) is currently programming the delivery of the schools whose condition need will be met by the Priority School Programme.
	Schools will be grouped together to form batches that can be delivered under one contract to make an attractive project for bidders to encourage competition and value for money for the public sector. The process to batch the schools takes into account a number of factors including condition, geography and commercial attractiveness.
	We expect all projects to have been completed or to be under construction within five years. As far as possible, the needs of the schools in the worst condition will be addressed first.
	The details of the works to be completed at each school and the associated funding will be determined at the next stage of the programme when feasibility studies will be undertaken for each school. The EFA will then procure the works required.

Human Rights: Children

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the answer of 25 April 2012, Official Report, columns 929-30W, on human rights: children, what contribution his Department is making to domestic policies with the objective of meeting the UK's commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Sarah Teather: The Government are committed to the UN convention on the rights of the child (UNCRC) and take their obligation to implement the Convention seriously. In a written ministerial statement on 6 December 2010, Official Report, columns 5-7WS, the Government gave a commitment to
	“give due consideration to the UNCRC articles when making new policy and legislation”.
	We are using the UN Committee's 2008 Concluding Observations as a reference point for where we can strengthen policy and legislation.
	To reinforce the Government's commitment, the Department for Education is working alongside key children's rights organisations to raise awareness and understanding of the UNCRC in other Government Departments.
	A new version of the Cabinet Office “Guide to Making Legislation” has been published. It makes explicit the requirement to consider the UNCRC in the development of legislation. Bill teams with legislation in the second session have also received additional materials on the UNCRC through their pre-legislation training.
	The Department uses the Home Affairs clearance process to raise objections to any Government proposals that appear inconsistent with the articles of the convention.
	In the Department's own areas of responsibility:
	we are addressing the links between children's achievement in school and their background through a pupil premium to tackle inequality and to ensure resources and support reach the pupils who need them most;
	the revised statutory guidance on the roles and responsibilities of directors of children services and lead members of children services includes references to consideration of the convention;
	the Government are legislating to strengthen the role and functions of the children's commissioner;
	In May, we set out latest measures being taken to implement the Bailey review recommendations to protect children from excessive commercialisation and premature sexualisation. This included a consultation on age rating of hard copy music videos, and from this month, the introduction of a new system of age classification and labelling for videogames. On 28 June we began the process of seeking views from the information and communication industries, charities, parents and young people on current approaches to online safety, what improvements are already in development, and what more could be done;
	further legislative reforms were announced in the Queen's Speech, including in relation to children with special educational needs and disabilities, adoption and family law; and
	there have been significant reforms to the arrangements for children and families who have been unsuccessful in seeking asylum, prior to deportation, specifically the Government’s commitment to end the detention of children for immigration purposes and the closure of Yarl’s Wood detention centre.

New Schools Network

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what meetings and events representatives of the New Schools Network have attended at his Department in the last year; and what the subject was of each such meeting and event.

Nick Gibb: Representatives of the New Schools Network regularly attend meetings and events at the Department and did so on several occasions in the last year; providing information on the exact number, and type of events, and meetings could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Nurseries: ICT

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether a nursery can achieve the early learning goals successfully without access to computers or screen technology.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 2 July 2012
	The early learning goals describe the level of progress that children should be expected to have attained by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Early years settings are required to plan for the learning and development of children in seven areas of learning. There are specific references to providing opportunities for children to use technology and other media both in the current and new EYFS (in the new EYFS this will be the expressive arts and design and creative development areas of learning).
	Providers are required to assess children against the goals in the final term of the year in which the child reaches age five. This is the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP). Reflecting that the EYFS does not require that children have access to specific types of technology, assessment for the EYFSP does not necessarily require the use of computers or screen technology.

Primary Education: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many vacant primary school places there were in Birmingham, Hall Green constituency in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: The Department collects information from each local authority on the number of unfilled places in maintained primary schools (except special schools), via an annual survey. The following table shows the number of unfilled places in maintained primary schools and academies in Birmingham between 2007 and 2011, which is the most recent data available. The number of unfilled places are reported at local authority level and not broken down by constituency.
	
		
			 Unfilled places in maintained primary schools (including academies), Birmingham LA 
			  Number 
			 2007(1) 8,649 
			 2008(1) 8,730 
			 2009(1) 8,414 
			 2010(2) 7,875 
			 2011(2) 7,635 
			 (1) Number of places relate to position as at January. (2) Number of places relate to position as at May. Source: Surplus Places Survey and School Capacity Collection.

Primary Education: Languages

Elizabeth Truss: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many primary schools in England do not teach any languages; and how many children are taught in those schools.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 2 July 2012
	Research published by the Department in 2009 showed that an estimated 8% of primary schools were not teaching languages to any of their pupils. The study did not quantify how many pupils were taught in those schools and estimates cannot be produced without knowing more about the characteristics of the schools in the study.

Independent Schools: Education Maintenance Allowance

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils at independent schools received education maintenance allowance in 2010-11.

Nick Gibb: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow North West (John Robertson) on 26 April 2012, Official Report, column 1035W.

Independent Schools: Education Maintenance Allowance

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils at independent schools have received education maintenance allowance since its introduction.

Nick Gibb: 59,517 young people in independent schools received annual education maintenance allowance payments between the 2004/05 and 2010/11 academic years. Of these, 8,129 attended independent special schools, many of which will have been state-funded.

Pupil Exclusions

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many decisions by head teachers to permanently exclude pupils were overturned by appeals panels in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many pupils whose permanent exclusions had been overturned by appeals panels were readmitted by their schools in each year since 1997.

Nick Gibb: The available information, for 1997/98 to 2009/10, is shown in the tables. This includes the number of appeals against permanent exclusion that have been determined in favour of the parent/pupil and the numbers of appeals where reinstatement was directed.
	This information is taken from the Statistical First Release 'Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools in England, 2009/10' available at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001016/index.shtml
	Information about appeals against permanent exclusion in 2010/11 will be published in the 'Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools in England, 2010/11' Statistical First Release on 25 July at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001080/index.shtml
	
		
			 Maintained primary, secondary and special schools(1) appeals against permanent exclusion; England, 1997/98 to 2009/10 
			  Appeals against exclusion from a school 
			  1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 
			 Number of appeals lodged 1,290 1,220 950 1,100 1,130 1,070 1,130 
			 Number of appeals heard 1,010 960 860 980 1,060 990 1,050 
			 Percentage of appeals heard(2) 78.6 79.3 91.0 89.8 94.2 92.2 92.8 
			 Number of appeals determined in favour of the parent/pupil 200 220 320 310 260 210 220 
			 Percentage of appeals determined in favour of the parent/pupil(3) 20.2 22.8 36.7 31.9 24.4 21.1 21.2 
			 Number of successful appeals where reinstatement was directed n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 150 130 
			 Percentage of successful appeals where reinstatement was directed(4) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 71.3 57.0 
		
	
	
		
			  Appeals against exclusion from a school 
			  2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 
			 Number of appeals lodged 1,090 1,060 1,050 780 640 510 
			 Number of appeals heard 1,030 980 970 710 590 470 
			 Percentage of appeals heard(2) 94.8 92.8 92.7 91.0 92.2 91.4 
			 Number of appeals determined in favour of the parent/pupil 220 240 240 180 150 110 
		
	
	
		
			 Percentage of appeals determined in favour of the parent/pupil(3) 21.5 24.1 24.7 26.0 25.2 24.0 
			 Number of successful appeals where reinstatement was directed 110 130 100 60 60 30 
			 Percentage of successful appeals where reinstatement was directed(4) 49.1 55.5 39.8 35.0 38.9 26.8 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) Excludes non-maintained special schools, city technology colleges and academies. (2) Shown as a percentage of appeals lodged. (3) Shown as a percentage of appeals heard. (4) Shown as a percentage of appeals determined in favour of the parent/pupil. Note: Totals may not appear to equal the sum of component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: School Exclusion Appeals Survey

Pupils: Bullying

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many incidents of bullying relating to obesity were recorded in schools in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not collect data on the incidence of bullying relating to obesity.
	Tackling poor behaviour in all its forms—including bullying—is a top priority for the Government. No child should feel victimised because of their weight, or for any other reason, and where bullying occurs, schools must have robust procedures in place to respond to it quickly and effectively.

Schools: Guidance

Elizabeth Truss: To ask the Secretary of State for Education by how much he has reduced the length of official guidance for schools for each area of guidance.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 28 June 2012
	We have removed over 21,000 pages of unnecessary guidance on the schools section of the Department's website. We are making further reductions to provide a simple, definitive suite of guidance and advice which makes clear what schools must do, what they should do and what they can choose to do.
	The following table sets out the approximate page number reductions by area:
	
		
			 Area Reduction 
			 Admissions 110 
			 Assessment 190 
			 Attendance 135 
			 Behaviour (Discipline, Bullying, Exclusions and AP) 863 
			 Careers 363 
			 Challenge 1,672 
			 Curriculum 1,341 
			 Data Collection 83 
			 Equality 272 
			 Extended Services 1,250 
			 EYFS 501 
			 Finance 695 
			 Governance 394 
			 Health and Safety 142 
			 Improving Pupil Performance 2,350 
			 Initiatives 69 
			 Inspection 2 
			 Look After Children 39 
			 Media 188 
			 NEET 87 
			 Parental Information 524 
			 PE/Sport 127 
			 Pedagogy and Practice 1,896 
			 Premises 715 
			 Qualifications 1,174 
			 Reducing Bureaucracy 196 
			 Raising Participation Age 98 
			 Safeguarding 620 
			 School Food 88 
			 School Improvement 562 
			 School Organisation 626 
			 School Travel 2 
			 SEN 974 
			 Staffing and Workforce 942 
			 Science Technology Engineering Maths 795 
			 Sustainability 785 
			 Target Setting 54 
			 Work Related Learning 279 
			 Youth Support (including drugs) 274 
			 Total 21,477

Schools: Guidance

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many hours of (a) English, (b) mathematics, (c) biology, (d) chemistry, (e) physics, (f) other science, (g) history, (h) geography, (i) French, (j) Spanish, (k) German, (l) other modern languages, (m) classical languages, (n) art, (o) drama, (p) citizenship, (q) leisure and tourism, (r) religious education, (s) vocational subjects/diploma subjects, (t) sociology and social studies, (u) psychology, (v) media studies, (w) business studies, (x) dance, (y) performing arts, (z) textiles, (aa) food technology, (ab) ICT, (ac) personal, social, health and economic education and (ad) general studies were taught in state secondary schools in England in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011.

Nick Gibb: Information on the number of hours taught in publicly funded secondary schools in a typical week broken down by subject is available in table 12 of the School Workforce in England Statistical First Release, November 2011, which is available at the following link:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/allstatistics/a00205723/school-workforce-in-england-provisional-nov-2011
	Similar information for 2010 is available in table 12 of the equivalent November 2010 publication which is available at the following link:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/allstatistics/a00196713/school-workforce-sfr
	The tables cover all the subject categories that are included in the data collection. Some of the subjects requested are not available individually and are captured under broader subject categories.

Schools: Food Growing

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department holds on the number of schools with a food growing space in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: While the Department for Education does not collect this information, the report of the Food Growing in Schools Taskforce, published in March 2012, showed that 80% of schools (comprising 80% of early years settings, 86% of primary schools and 72% of secondary schools) currently grow food.
	It is for individual schools to choose how to use free space within their grounds. We do, however, recognise the benefits that growing food in schools can offer both in helping support teaching, especially of science, and to promote health and well-being in relation to diet and nutrition.

Sixth Form Education

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he has had with the Sixth Form Colleges Forum on entitlement funding for sixth form providers.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 18 June 2012
	The announcement on funding for the 2011/12 academic year, which included how entitlement funding was changing, was made in December 2010 in the then YPLA's 16-19 Funding Statement. Around the time of the announcement and subsequently, Ministers have met several Principals from sixth form colleges to discuss 16-19 funding, including entitlement funding. All of the sixth form colleges in England are members of the Sixth Form Colleges' Forum, which leads the Sixth Form College sector and is its distinctive voice.

Sixth Form Education

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effects on attainment of the reduction to entitlement funding for sixth form providers.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 18 June 2012
	The announcement on funding for the 2011/12 academic year, which included how entitlement funding was changing, was made in December 2010 in the then YPLA's 16-19 Funding Statement.
	At the time of the spending review announcement in October 2010 we made clear the need to make unit costs savings in relation to.16-19 education and training, due to the difficult economic and financial position of the country. The priority for the Department for 16-19 funding is to protect the core education programmes offered by schools and colleges. These core programmes equip young people with the knowledge and skills they need and are fundamental to students' successful progression into higher education or employment. We therefore made savings elsewhere, including by reducing the “Curriculum 2000” entitlement allocation from 114 teaching hours to 30 hours, as that would be less likely to impact on attainment.
	Since this change came into effect only for the current academic year, it is too early for the Department to have any attainment data for courses undertaken since the funding was altered. However, it will be very difficult to separate out from other factors changes in achievement linked to changes in entitlement funding.

Sixth Form Education

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools with a sixth form success rate of less than 80 per cent were graded (a) outstanding and (b) good by Ofsted in the last two years.

Nick Gibb: This question is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has written to the hon. Gentleman, and a copy of his response has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Letter from Richard Brooks, dated 25 June 2012
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me for response.
	Success rates data for school sixth forms are under development. In line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, these are currently classified as experimental statistics. They are published in order to involve users and stakeholders in their development as their reliability and accuracy is being improved.
	Experimental statistics; covering the 2009/10 academic year were released by The Young People's Learning Agency on 5 March 2012. They were published following a data checking exercise with schools. However, only about half the schools made returns to adjust their success rates, so the figures are not robust enough to be used for comparative purposes.
	The statistics released showed, at a headline level, the proportion of young people that start a qualification in an institution and achieve it by the end of the required period of study.
	Since 2009/10 further work has been taking place to improve quality. No data have yet been released to cover either the 2010/11 or 2011/12 academic years.
	School sixth form success rates have not as yet been used as evidence in inspection by Ofsted inspectors. In the academic year 2009/10, there were 24 schools judged outstanding for their overall effectiveness and 76 schools judged good for their overall effectiveness that had sixth form success rates (on the basis of the experimental statistics) of less than 80%.
	During the same year Ofsted inspected 888 secondary schools including 617 sixth forms. No generalisations can be drawn between these success rates and the overall effectiveness judgement made on section 5 inspections.
	Statistics covering the outcomes of all inspections carried out in each academic year can be found at:
	http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/advanced-resources-search/results/Maintained%20schools/2/all/any/200/any
	The most recent official statistics release covering the outcomes of maintained school inspections carried out between 1 January 2012 and 31 March 2012 was released on 12 June 2012 and can be accessed at the same link.

Special Educational Needs: Rural Areas

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will provide additional funding to small rural secondary schools to support disadvantaged pupils with special educational needs.

Nick Gibb: Under the reformed arrangements for school funding from 2013-14 announced on 26 March, it will be for local authorities to devise simpler formulae through which maintained schools and academies will be funded. The formulae will include a notional special educational needs (SEN) budget for each school. If a school has unusually high levels of SEN, perhaps because it is seen as a local centre of excellence, local authorities will be free to provide further funding outside the formula following locally agreed principles.

Special Educational Needs: Teachers

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what training teachers receive to enable them to recognise (a) dyslexia and (b) autism in children; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 28 June 2012
	The Government are committed to improving the quality of training teachers receive to enable them to better identify all areas of special educational needs (SEN) including dyslexia and autism and overcome the barriers to learning that some children and young people face.
	Teacher training supports trainees to meet the standards for qualified teacher status. From September 2012, the new teacher standards will have a sharpened focus on meeting the broad range of pupils' needs including those with special educational needs.
	The Department has, between 2009 and 2011, funded up to 3200 teachers to undertake specialist dyslexia training courses approved by the British Dyslexia Association (BDA).
	We have also funded the Autism Education Trust—some £1.3 million over two years—to develop national standards for those working with autistic children and also tiered training at universal, enhanced and specialist levels and to deliver the universal training to at least 5,000 staff, including teachers, across the country.
	In addition, we have recently developed a range of advanced-level online training materials for teachers which include modules on both dyslexia and ASD. These are now available on the DFE website.
	Our National Scholarship Fund provides opportunities for teachers to apply to undertake Masters-level qualifications in specific impairments including dyslexia and ASD.
	Furthermore, we are committed to continuing to support the role of the SEN Co-ordinator (SENCO) in schools. Since 2009 almost 9000 teachers have been funded to undertake the masters-level SENCO training. Funding for a further 1,000 SENCOs has been confirmed for 2012/13. The training is designed to support teachers to meet the needs of all pupils with SEN, including those with dyslexia and ASD.

Teachers: Pay

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average pay for full-time classroom teachers is in (a) academies and (b) maintained schools.

Nick Gibb: In November 2011 the average salary of full-time qualified teaches in academies was £35,700. The figure for local authority maintained schools was £34,400. This information was taken from table 9a of the Statistical First Release 'School Workforce in England, November 2011' which is available at the following link:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/allstatistics/a00205723/school-workforce-in-england-provisional-nov-2011

Teachers: Pay

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the mean teachers' salary was in each of the last three years.

Nick Gibb: The following table provides the mean gross salary including allowances of full-time qualified teachers of all grades in regular service in publicly funded schools in England in March 2010, November 2010 and November 2011 which represent the last three academic years.
	
		
			 Average salary (mean) of full-time qualified teachers in regular(1) service in publicly funded schools, March 2010, November 2010 and November 2011(2), coverage: England 
			  Mean salary (£) 
			 March 2010 37,900 
			 November 2010 38,000 
			 November 2011 37,900 
			 (1 )Regular service includes any teacher in service with a contract of 28 days or more. (2 )The time period includes figures for 3 separate academic years. Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest £100. Source: Database of Teacher Records, March 2010 and the School Workforce Census, November 2010 and 2011.

Teachers: Pay

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average salary rise was of teachers who progressed up the pay scale in 2011.

Nick Gibb: The data requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The salary rises applicable to classroom teachers in maintained schools who progressed by one point on the main pay scale in September 2011 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Salary increase received by classroom teachers progressing on the main pay scale between academic years 2010/11 and 2011/12 
			 £ 
			 Spine point London Inner London Outer London Fringe Rest of England 
			 M1 to M2 1,408 1,557 1,705 1,707 
			 M2 to M3 1,481 1,651 1,872 1,873 
			 M3 to M4 1,557 1,755 1,943 1,936 
			 M4 to M5 2,419 2,550 2,132 2,136 
			 M5 to M6 2,522 2,486 2,310 2,312 
			 Notes: 1. Other pay scales for teachers in maintained schools may be found in the 2011 School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) which is available on the Department's publications website at: www.education.gov.uk Teachers' pay is subject to the two year public sector pay freeze from 2011/12. 2. Data on the actual numbers receiving progression payments in 2011/12 will be available in autumn 2012 and will be based on School Workforce Census data for 2010 and 2011.

Teachers: Pay

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of teachers received an allowance in addition to their basic salary in each of the last three years.

Nick Gibb: In November 2011 161,200 full and part-time qualified teachers of all grades in publicly funded schools in England were recorded as being in receipt of an additional allowance, 34% of the total. In November 2010 the figures were 156,100, 33%. No comparable information is available for earlier years.
	Source:
	School Workforce Census.

Teachers: Pay

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of teachers progressed to the upper pay scale within (a) one, (b) two and (c) three years of reaching the top of the main pay scale in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: The data are not available centrally in the format required. The latest figures, taken from a survey, are for academic years 2007/08 to 2008/09(1). These figures show that 45% of full-time primary school classroom teachers on the top of the main pay scale (M6) in 2007/08 progressed to the upper pay scale (U1) in 2008/09. For secondary schools, 47% of full-time classroom teachers on the top of the main pay scale (M6) in 2007/08 progressed to the upper pay scale (U1) in 2008/09.
	(1) Survey of Teachers' Pay 2008 (Office of Manpower Economics, March 2009)
	Notes
	1. The numbers represent the proportions of teachers progressing to the upper scale regardless of how many years these teachers had been on M6.
	2. More recent data will be available in autumn 2012 and will be based on the School Workforce Census data for 2010 and 2011.

Teachers: Training

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what programmes his Department has put in place to assist people wishing to move into teaching.

Nick Gibb: The Department has put in place a range of programmes designed to ease the transition of people into teaching.
	The School Experience Programme gives those considering a career in teaching the opportunity to spend one or more observation days in schools to gain an insight into the role and responsibilities of a teacher.
	The new School Direct Training Programme (salaried) available from September 2013, gives schools the opportunity to recruit high quality career changers and pay them a salary while they train.
	The Subject Knowledge Enhancement Programme, available in priority subjects, provides potential trainees with in-depth subject knowledge of their chosen area before they begin teacher training.
	The Troops to Teachers Programme provides places for 50 high quality graduate service leavers to enter teaching through an employment-based route.

School Funding

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to his statement of 24 May 2012, Official Report, column 82WS, on school funding, how much funding will be allocated to William Beamont High School, Warrington.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 18 June 2012
	The details of the works to be completed at each school and the associated funding will be determined at the next stage of the programme when feasibility studies will be undertaken for each school. The EFA will then procure the works required.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

House of Lords Reform

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the cost of elections to a reformed House of Lords where (a) 80% and (b) 100% of its members are elected.

Mark Harper: The Government published their cost projections for House of Lords reform on 27 June 2012. These are available on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.dpm.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/house-lords-reform-bill-documents
	The total cost of elections to an 80% elected House of Lords is estimated at £85.7 million per election in 2012-13 price terms. This figure consists of £42.9 million for the conduct of the poll and £42.8 million for candidates' mailings. The Government have made no estimate of the cost of elections to a 100% elected House of Lords.

CABINET OFFICE

Joint Ministerial Committee

Margaret Curran: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  when he plans to publish the annual report on the work of the Joint Ministerial Committee and its sub-committees in 2011-12;
	(2)  how many meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee (Officials) took place in the last year; who attended those meetings; what was discussed at them; and if he will place in the Library a record of those meetings;
	(3)  how many meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe) took place in the last year; who attended those meetings; what was discussed at them; and if he will place in the Library a record of those meetings;
	(4)  how many meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee (Domestic) took place in the last year; who attended those meetings; what was discussed at them; and if he will place in the Library a record of those meetings;
	(5)  how many meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee took place in plenary format in the last year; who attended those meetings; what was discussed at them; and if he will place in the Library a record of those meetings.

Nicholas Clegg: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
	The Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) annual report will be published in the autumn 2012, following the plenary meeting of the Committee. The annual report will contain details of all the meetings of the JMC and its Domestic and European sub-committees that have taken place since the last annual report was published on 8 June 2011. A copy of the annual report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Mental Health

John Pugh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to promote good mental health and well-being within the Civil Service.

Francis Maude: While Departments are responsible for the wellbeing of their own staff, the Cabinet Office supports a collaborative approach within the civil service to improving the morale and wellbeing of civil servants. We facilitate a network for Departments and agencies to promote best practice activities, and share learning and different approaches to improving engagement and wellbeing within their organisations. More detail can be found on the civil service website at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/improving/employee-engagement-in-the-civil-service

Public Services

Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2012, Official Report, column 1074W, on public services, what deadline has been set for each Government Department to publish its Open Data Strategy.

Francis Maude: Open Data White Strategies were published to coincide with the launch of the Open Data White Paper and are available on data.gov.uk.

Public Services

Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2012, Official Report, column 159W, on public services, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Prime Minister's letters of 31 May 2010 and 7 July 2011 on transparency commitments.

Francis Maude: Both of the Prime Minister's letters are publically available on the No. 10 website:
	www.number10.gov.uk

Thalidomide

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish any Cabinet papers relating to thalidomide from the period between December 1961 and December 1963.

Francis Maude: All Cabinet papers covering the period 1961 to 1963 have been released and are available at the National Archives (catalogue reference CAB 129/104-115). A small amount of information from one paper unrelated to the thalidomide issue remains closed.

Trade Union Officials: Pay

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much funding from the public purse was spent on paying trade union officials salaries in the latest period for which figures are available.

Francis Maude: The Government have announced their intention to consult with the civil service trade unions on changes to current facility time arrangements. The consultation paper which will be published shortly will include details on public funding for facility time.

Unemployment: Ethnic Groups

Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his most recent estimate is of the level of unemployment among young black men.

Nick Hurd: holding answer 2 July 2012
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for the most recent estimate of the level of unemployment among young black men. (114804)
	Estimates of unemployment come from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). For the period January-March 2012 it is estimated that there were 28,000 unemployed men aged 16 to 24 inclusive who reported their ethnicity as Black. This is an unemployment rate of 50 per cent.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. It is estimated that the true value is likely to lie between 18,000 and 38,000.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadband

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with internet service providers on improving broadband speeds for businesses.

Edward Vaizey: There has not been any recent specific discussion of broadband speeds for businesses; however, the Government are investing in superfast broadband to support economic growth for the benefit of all businesses and consumers. Many businesses have a choice of internet service providers, most of whom provide services and tariffs aimed at business and many of which would have specific service level agreements attached.

Broadband: South East

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to implement superfast broadband in (a) the South East and (b) Mid Sussex constituency.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has approved the all local broadband plans covering the South East of England, including the plan covering Sussex. East Sussex has been allocated £10.64 million and West Sussex will receive £6.26 million in funding.
	Broadband Delivery UK are supporting the project teams to prepare for procurement and will continue to support them throughout the process.

Broadband: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many businesses in Warrington he expects to receive investment to improve broadband speeds.

Edward Vaizey: The Government are investing in superfast broadband to support economic growth for the benefit of all businesses and consumers. However, there has been no specific assessment of the number of businesses in Warrington that would benefit.

Chief Scientific Advisers

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what use his Department makes of the wider network of departmental chief scientific advisers when seeking scientific advice to inform policymaking.

John Penrose: holding answer 2 July 2012
	This Department maintains contact with the chief scientific advisers (CSA) network via a representative in its Evidence and Analysis Unit, who also provides the secretariat for the Department's Science and Research Advisory Committee (SRAC). Through meetings and e-mail circulars co-ordinated by the Government Office for Science (GO-Science), the Department's representative, in consultation with its SRAC, works to identify wider scientific issues pertinent to its work and where it would be appropriate to access expert advice. In addition to this, the chair of the SRAC meets with the Government chief scientific adviser and CSA at regular meetings organised by GO-Science, involving (a) the CSAs and the wider scientific community and (b) the CSAs and chairs of all governmental scientific advisory committees.

Chief Scientific Advisers

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many meetings he has had with his Department's Scientific Research Advisory Committee since May 2010.

John Penrose: holding answer 2 July 2012
	Since May 2010, the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has had no formal meetings with the Department's Science and Research Advisory Committee (SRAC), but he has met with Dr Michael Dixon, the Chair of the Department's SRAC, on a number of occasions. Much of the scientific input from SRAC is, of course, expected to flow into the Department through meetings and technical briefings for officials rather than Ministers.

Chief Scientific Advisers

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport for what reasons the position of chief scientific adviser in his Department has remained vacant since August 2010.

John Penrose: holding answer 2 July 2012
	Since 2010 the Department has undergone a significant reduction in staff numbers so, to be fair to remaining and departed staff, any new appointments have to be considered very carefully. That said, we believe we have identified a solution which is appropriate for a Department of DCMS size and expect to recruit shortly.

Chief Scientific Advisers

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if he will consider hiring a chief scientific adviser for his Department on a part-time basis;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to hire a chief scientific adviser.

John Penrose: This Department expects to have a new head of analysis (at civil service grade 5 level), who will lead on issues of scientific advice and cover the principle functions of a chief scientific adviser (CSA), in place by autumn 2012. The Department is working with the Government chief scientific adviser and the Government Office for Science to establish mechanisms for the post-holder to draw on the advice and varied expertise of the chief scientific advisers network.

Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much he expects to remain in the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund at the close of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.

Hugh Robertson: The games have yet to take place and there is still work to do after the games, in fitting out the Olympic village for sale, and further income to come in after 2012. Therefore, it is too early to give an estimate of the closing balance in the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund (OLDF). What is clear at this stage is that the OLDF will receive grant repayments from the sale of the village in 2014 of just over £69 million. The receipts together with any unused funds remaining in the OLDF will then be transferred to the National Lottery Distribution Fund for the benefit of good causes. In addition, in the longer term, the national lottery is entitled to receive £675 million from receipts from the sale of land in the Olympic park.

Rugby League

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will meet representatives of Rugby League's Super League to discuss (a) plans for the future of the Bradford Bulls and (b) the financial status of the Super League.

Hugh Robertson: I have had regular conversations with the chief executives of the major sports governing bodies including the Rugby Football League. Therefore, I am aware of the recent financial difficulties the Bradford Bulls, and some other clubs in that sport, have experienced.

World War I: Centenry

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  with which countries his Department has had discussions in respect of (a) joint events and (b) a UK presence at overseas events to commemorate the centenary of the first world war; on what dates any such discussions took place; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many officials in his Department are engaged (a) full-time and (b) part-time in preparations to commemorate the centenary of the first world war; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will give consideration to applying a motif on all commemorative items and events associated with the 100th anniversary of the first world war; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  if he will consider providing funding to refurbish war graves and war memorials (a) in the UK and (b) overseas to commemorate the centenary of the first world war; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  how much funding the Government has allocated for commemorations of the centenary of the first world war; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The Prime Minister has asked my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) to act as his Special Representative and Co-ordinator for World War I Commemorations, with secretariat support from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. In addition to a series of meetings with international colleagues and attending an all nations meeting in Paris in March 2012, Dr Murrison holds monthly meetings with a core liaison group incorporating cross-Whitehall Departments, the Imperial War Museum, Heritage Lottery Fund, Commonwealth War Graves Commission and others to ensure that the UK plays a full and active role in commemorating the centenary of the first world war. A number of proposals are being discussed and the Government expects to announce more details later in the year.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Bed and Breakfast Accommodation

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to his answer of 23 May 2012, Official Report, column 680W, on bed and breakfast accommodation, which 20 local authorities he wrote to raising concerns about their extended use of bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless families with children beyond the six week limit; and if he will place a copy of his letter in the Library.

Grant Shapps: holding answer 25 June 2012
	I wrote privately to 20 local authorities who between them account for almost 80% of families in bed and breakfast for more than six weeks, reiterating the Government's position that this practice is unacceptable, urging them to prioritise elimination of the use of long term bed and breakfast accommodation for families for more than six weeks, and offering support from my Department to do so.
	I have placed a template of the letter in the Library of the House.

Empty Property: Council Tax

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes in each local authority area are eligible for an empty properties discount for council tax purposes; and what estimate he has made of the total revenue forgone.

Bob Neill: The information requested has been placed in the Library of the House.
	These figures relate to the discount on long-term empty homes. They do not cover the separate council tax exemptions for vacant and unoccupied dwellings.

Energy

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which energy supplier supplies his Department with (a) gas and (b) electricity.

Bob Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government procures its energy supplies through the Government Procurement Service's (formerly Buying Solutions) framework agreement. The suppliers on this framework are:
	EDF Energy—Half hourly metered electricity
	British Gas Business—Non-half hourly metered electricity
	Corona Energy—Gas
	The Department uses all three suppliers across its estate.
	The Department has made significant year-on-year reductions in energy consumption. In 2011-12, electricity and gas consumption were reduced by 9% and 45% respectively, compared to the previous year.
	Under the last Administration, the Department's main building (Eland House, Victoria) was one of the least energy-efficient buildings in Whitehall, despite it being the lead Department on energy efficiency standards in buildings. In June 2011, the building was awarded a ‘D’ grade display energy certificate, having improved from the equivalent ‘G’ grade in 2006-07.

Energy

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on (a) gas and (b) electricity bills in each of the last 10 years.

Bob Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government was formed in May 2006. Spend on gas and electricity for the financial years 2006-07 to 2011-12 is detailed as follows.
	
		
			 £ 
			  DCLG Buildings 
			  Electricity Gas 
			 2006-07 1,091,111 229,436 
			 2007-08 656,069 144,707 
			 2008-09 505,425 135,889 
			 2009-10 424,286 71,027 
			 2010-11 422,803 39,138 
			 2011-12 536,449 36,474 
		
	
	The Department has made significant year-on-year reductions in energy consumption. In 2011-12, electricity and gas consumption were reduced by 9% and 45% respectively, compared to the previous year.
	Under the last Administration, the Department's main building (Eland House, Victoria) was one of the least energy-efficient buildings in Whitehall, despite it being the lead Department on energy efficiency standards in buildings. In June 2011, the building was awarded a ‘D’ grade display energy certificate, having improved from the equivalent ‘G’ grade in 2006-07.

EU Grants and Loans

Damian Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the interruption of payments made by organisations in the UK from the Interreg IV B North Sea Region programme; whether he has made representations to the European Commission on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The North Sea Programme has an independent Managing Authority and a Joint Technical Secretariat; none are based in the UK. The programme is managed by authorities based in Viborg, Denmark.
	My officials have been working closely with the North Sea Programme Managing Authority in Denmark to provide the necessary evidence to persuade the European Commission to lift the payment interruption it imposed on UK partners. The Government submitted the evidence requested in December 2011. The Commission requested further information in March 2012. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Hanham, met Commissioner Hahn in April and raised in the strongest possible terms our concerns about the delays in getting responses from Commission officials and the resultant effect the interruption was having on the cash flow of the small and voluntary organisations participating in North sea projects. My officials submitted further evidence in May. I understand that on 6 July the European Commission's Interruption Committee will be discussing this further evidence with a view to deciding whether to lift the interruption.

Families: Disadvantaged

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the evidential basis was for his recent statement that 120,000 families defined as troubled families are more likely to be involved in antisocial behaviour and more likely to include children who truant more than average.

Bob Neill: There is wide-ranging evidence that involvement in crime/antisocial behaviour and truancy is more likely among families experiencing multiple problems, including from analysis of the Family and Children's Survey. Studies have also shown that predictors of the onset of offending include neglectful parenting.
	The Troubles Families Financial Framework, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, outlines how local authorities will identify actual troubled families to try and turn their lives around, including identifying those involved in antisocial behaviour and households with truant children.

Government Procurement Card

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many procurement card holders in his Department were (a) paid off-payroll, (b) employed on a part-time basis and (c) employed as a non-permanent employee in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12.

Bob Neill: Our records on the Government Procurement Card do not routinely separately identify cardholders on the basis of their employment.
	The Department currently has 27 active cards and all current cardholders are paid on payroll.

Housing: Armed Forces

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many housing experts from his Department have visited military bases in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and which bases they have visited.

Grant Shapps: holding answer 28 June 2012
	In June 2011, I announced that members of our armed forces would have top priority for FirstBuy and all Government funded affordable home ownership schemes.
	I also announced that I would be sending special housing agents into military bases to help members of the armed forces get a foot on the housing ladder.
	We do not hold a central record of visits. However, I can confirm that since my announcement HomeBuy Agents have visited armed forces bases in the UK and abroad. This includes bases in Catterick, Telford, Colchester, Portsmouth, Dartmouth, Cornwall, Germany and Cyprus.

Housing: Armed Forces

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) service personnel and (b) former service personnel have been allocated housing through the FirstBuy scheme in each year since 2005.

Grant Shapps: holding answer 28 June 2012
	The FirstBuy scheme, introduced by this Government, will help around 10,500 first-time buyers by March 2013. In June 2011, I announced that members of our armed forces would have top priority for FirstBuy and all Government funded affordable home ownership schemes.
	And I am pleased to say that one of the first FirstBuy sales was to a member of our armed forces who were helped into a family home in Telford.
	Official statistics published on 12 June for the first seven months of the scheme to March 2012 show 127 members of the armed forces had been helped to buy a home.
	However, this does not show the full extent of our support for members of our armed forces, as a further 3,400 service personnel have been approved for Government support to buy their own home under Government supported affordable housing schemes.

Mental Health

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to promote good mental health and well-being in his Department.

Bob Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government is committed to helping improve the general health and well-being of its staff and actively seeks to maximise physical and mental health.
	Staff have access to various resources providing health care and health advice, and are supported by counselling and support services and the Charity for Civil Servants. Policy and guidance on mental health and well-being are available to all staff. In addition there are self-help resources and reading material available online which includes help on how to manage mental health and stress at work.
	The Department is signing up to the Civil Service Physical Activity Challenge which invites Departments to increase staff participation in health and well-being activities. This includes encouraging staff to take part in the Charity for Civil Servants virtual walking challenge which runs from 10 September to 29 October 2012.
	The Department also has a sports and recreational association, shared with the Department for Transport and its Executive agencies. This association operates in the interest of the sporting and recreational needs of staff. Staff pay to become members. It helps to promote a healthier lifestyle by allowing staff access to affiliated sports and social clubs.

Regional Pay

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department has taken to introduce regional pay since 20 March 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: I refer my hon. Friend to the opposition debate on regional pay on 20 June 2012, Official Report, column 937-86.

Regional Pay

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) highest, (b) median, (c) median full-time equivalent and (d) lowest full-time equivalent salary was paid by (i) his Department and (ii) its public bodies in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13.

Bob Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the pay multiples section of my Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2011-12, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
	The lowest full-time equivalent salary was £20,000 to £24,999 in 2010-11 and £15,000 to £19,999 in 2011-12. The reason for the change is that some staff transferred in from the former regional development agencies (as part of the new arrangements for strengthened administration and oversight of the European Regional Development Fund) on salaries lower than the previous minimum in the Department.
	Figures are not available for 2012-13 as we are only two pay months into the financial year. Data are not held centrally for the Department's Executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies.

Private Rented Housing: Landlords

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to make any changes to guidance on the responsibilities of private landlords to their tenants.

Andrew Stunell: In August 2011, a package of guidance for both landlords and tenants was placed on my Department's website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/privaterentedhousing/
	The guidance covered the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords in the private rented sector, and has recently been updated to take account of the amendments to the tenancy deposit protection legislation which came into effect on 6 April this year. We do not have any plans to make further changes to this guidance at the present time.

Private Rented Housing: Landlords

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department has issued on protecting tenants from private landlords who do not respond to complaints; and whether his Department records the number of complaints against individual private landlords.

Andrew Stunell: The current legislative framework provides strong protections for tenants in the private rented sector, and local authorities have extensive powers to take action against landlords letting poor quality or badly managed properties through the Housing Act 2004. The package of guidance for both landlords and tenants on my Department's website explains what tenants should do if a landlord refuses to repair or properly maintain a property.
	Complaints about individual landlords should be directed to the relevant local authority, and my Department does not collect figures on the number of such complaints.

Renewable Energy: Planning Policy

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of whether the guidance contained in the document, Planning for Renewable Energy: A Companion Guide to Planning Policy Statement 22, published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, remains valid.

Bob Neill: This guidance has not been cancelled but with the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework it is now out of date in part. The Government is considering what underpinning guidance is needed to support implementation of policies in the framework. Until such time as the guidance review is complete, existing guidance, where relevant, can still be used.

Social Rented Housing

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the evidential basis is for his Department's finding that 34,000 households with incomes of over £60,000 are living in social housing; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: holding answer 28 June 2012
	The estimated number of social tenants with incomes over £60,000 is based on two surveys, the English Housing Survey (data for 2008-09 and 2009-10) and the Department for Work and Pensions' Family Resources Survey 2008-09. Almost 10,000 households living in the social rented sector were sampled in total. Incomes over £60,000 are relatively uncommon in the social sector so comparatively few respondents met these criteria. The range of households with incomes above this level, between 12,000 and 34,000, is therefore our best estimate of the actual number of high income tenants.
	Datasets from both surveys are deposited at the UK Data Archive and are available to external users.

Social Rented Housing: Armed Forces

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's press release of 11 November 2011, entitled House hunting heroes in Government's sights, how many service personnel have subsequently been moved position on housing waiting lists by councils.

Grant Shapps: holding answer 28 June 2012
	The Department does not collect this information.
	We have finished consulting on plans to change the law, by regulation, so that former service personnel with urgent housing needs are always given 'additional preference' (i.e. high priority) for social housing, and that service personnel who move from base- to-base do not lose their qualification rights.
	Following consultation, we intend to extend these provisions to bereaved spouses and civil partners of service personnel and to members of the Reserve Forces who have been seriously injured. We will bring the new regulations into force as soon as possible.
	On 29 June we issued new statutory social housing allocations guidance for councils—setting out how their allocation schemes can give priority to armed forces families, including through the use of local preference criteria and local lettings policies.
	The new guidance and regulations are an important part of the Government's commitment to make the social housing system more flexible and responsive, to get the best out of our 4 million social homes, and to make the system fairer for all.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces Covenant

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions Ministers in his Department have had with Ministers in the (a) Home Office and (b) Department for Work and Pensions on protection for service people as defined in section 343A of the Armed Forces Act 2011.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 2 July 2012
	Ministers from both Departments are members of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on the Armed Forces Covenant, which meets regularly to consider how to ensure that service personnel are not disadvantaged compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services.

Armed Forces Pay Review Body

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was to his Department of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: The cost to the Ministry of Defence of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB) for financial year 2011-12 was £83,550. This represents the daily rates paid to members of the review body. Their travel and subsistence costs are borne by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, through the Office of Manpower Economics.

Armed Forces: Bullying

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases of bullying and harassment have been sent to the Service Complaints Commissioner by disabled members of the armed forces in the last 12 months.

Andrew Robathan: This information is not held in the format requested. The Service Complaints Commissioner's Report for 2011 has been placed in the Library of the House and states that 100 potential service complaints for bullying and harassment were submitted during that year. However, the figures do not distinguish between able bodied and disabled complainants.

Armed Forces: Bullying

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases of bullying and harassment have been lodged via the redress of complaint system by disabled members of the armed forces in the last 12 months.

Andrew Robathan: The information is not held in the format requested. None of the services holds a central record of complaints specifically submitted by disabled service personnel, nor are complainants required to disclose any disability when submitting a service complaint.

Armed Forces: Bullying

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in how many cases an assisting officer has been withheld from a soldier wishing to make a complaint of bullying and harassment in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: During calendar year 2011, there were a total of 493 Service complaints submitted to the Army, of which 228 related to allegations of bullying or harassment. Of the overall total, 94 complainants did not receive an assisting officer, of which 88 formally confirmed that they did not require one.
	Information is being sought on whether any of the six cases without an assisting officer were complaints of bullying and harassment and, if so, to establish whether an assisting officer was refused. I will write to the hon. Member when this is received.

Armed Forces: Bullying

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  under what circumstances an assisting officer would not be offered to a soldier wishing to make a complaint of bullying and harassment;
	(2)  what his policy is on when an assisting officer should be offered to a soldier wishing to make a complaint of bullying and harassment.

Andrew Robathan: Any officer or soldier wishing to make a complaint about bullying or harassment is entitled, if they wish, to an assisting officer who will help them to prepare their service complaint. They should be offered this support prior to submitting a service complaint, or as soon as the chain of command becomes aware of their wish to submit a service complaint.
	A request by an officer or soldier for the support of an assisting officer should not be refused. However, while an individual should always be advised to have an assisting officer, they do not have to have one and the fact that they declined assistance should be recorded.
	If the individual making the complaint requests a specific assisting officer, every effort should be made to assign that individual. However, where this is not possible, for instance where a specific assisting officer is deemed unsuitable owing to their proximity to the case, relationship or other valid factors, an alternative assisting officer should be appointed.

Armed Forces: Bullying

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what sanctions are available to a commanding officer when it is found during a redress investigation that a senior NCO, warrant officer or commissioned officer has bullied or harassed a junior soldier;
	(2)  what sanctions are available to a commanding officer when it is found during a redress investigation that a senior NCO, warrant officer or commissioned officer has attempted pressurising a witness during an investigation.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 2 July 2012
	It is a fundamental responsibility of a Commanding Officer to protect personnel from harassment and intimidation. A Commanding Officer has a range of disciplinary and administrative actions available to him/her should it be found that a senior NCO, warrant officer or commissioned officer has bullied or harassed a junior soldier or attempted to pressurise a witness during an investigation. Any action taken against an individual would reflect the nature, seriousness and frequency of the offence and could range from warnings through to discharge.

Armed Forces: Bullying

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many cases of bullying and harassment have been lodged via the redress of complaint system by disabled members of the armed forces posted to the Parachute Training Support Unit at RAF Brize Norton in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how many cases of bullying and harassment have been lodged via the redress of complaint system by disabled members of the armed forces attached to 2nd Infantry Training Battalion, Catterick in the last 12 months.

Andrew Robathan: This information is not held in the format requested. While we might be aware of individual cases where members of the armed forces who are disabled have submitted complaints, none of the services hold a central record of complaints specifically submitted by disabled service personnel. Nor are complainants required to disclose any disability when submitting a service complaint.

Armed Forces: Disability Living Allowance

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to ensure that no service person loses payment for injury as a result of changes to the disability living allowance.

Andrew Robathan: Ministers of the Department of Work and Pensions and I have agreed to work together to ensure that the particular needs of those seriously injured as a result of service are considered and met. Ministry of Defence officials continue to work closely with colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure this commitment is delivered.

Armed Forces: Malaria

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment his Department has made of the suitability of mefloquine hydrochloride as anti-malaria medication for service personnel, with particular reference to side-effects; what information his Department holds on US policy on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 28 June 2012
	The Ministry of Defence malaria prevention policy is closely aligned to United Kingdom national advice. It is kept under continual review and includes consideration of the varied drugs used for chemoprophylaxis. While there has not been a specific recent assessment of the suitability of mefloquine hydrochloride as anti-malaria medication for service personnel, including side-effects, there has not been a specific assessment of the suitability of any other drug either.
	Mefloquine is a licensed and extremely effective drug at preventing malaria; it is used by the military in many (but not all) parts of the world where British troops deploy. There is currently no evidence that United Kingdom service personnel are at a particular increased risk from adverse drug events related to mefloquine use for chemoprophylaxis. If compelling evidence is produced from the body of global scientific evidence regarding the use of mefloquine then it is likely that the UK licence would be reviewed and advice from the Advisory Committee on Malaria Prevention (ACMP) would change.
	The UK ACMP, whose membership comprises national experts on the subject (including the MOD's Defence Consultant Adviser in Communicable Diseases), advises on the key elements with respect to choice of drugs for anti-malaria chemoprophylaxis. The ACMP, which was established by the Health Protection Agency, is the authoritative source of guidance in the United Kingdom.
	The UK Defence Medical Services have a close working relationship with colleagues in the US armed forces, and we are aware of current US practice in theatre regarding this matter.

Armed Forces: Offenders

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former prisoners who have received a custodial sentence have been recruited into the armed forces in each of the last three years.

Andrew Robathan: Custodial sentences over 30 months (considered unspent) are a permanent bar to recruitment into the armed forces.
	The number of former prisoners who have received a custodial sentence of less than 30 months that have been recruited into the armed forces in each of the last three years is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Postal Services

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many complaints Ministers in his Department have received about goods damaged by the postal service system used to deliver from the UK to Afghanistan;
	(2)  how many parcels sent from the UK to armed forces personnel in Afghanistan have been found damaged on arrival in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Harvey: Since May 2010, two complaints have been received by Defence Ministers about parcels being damaged in transit for delivery to armed forces personnel on operations in Afghanistan.
	There is no business requirement to hold information about the number of parcels that may have been damaged during transit from the UK to armed forces personnel on deployment in Afghanistan.

Armed Forces: Postal Services

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what steps are taken to check packages sent from the UK to forces personnel in Afghanistan before they are sent;
	(2)  what proportion of packages sent from the UK to forces personnel in Afghanistan were checked in advance of their arrival in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  what his policy is on checking or screening packages sent from the UK to forces personnel in Afghanistan;
	(4)  whether the postal services system being used from the UK to forces personnel serving in Afghanistan differs from that used from the UK to forces personnel serving in Iraq.

Nick Harvey: All mail sent to Afghanistan through the British Forces Post Office is X-rayed as a guard against the carriage of dangerous and/or prohibited items. This security procedure is carried out both in the UK and in Afghanistan.
	In addition, mail bags are electronically monitored to ensure they are delivered and test letters are regularly sent to assess the time taken for mail to arrive in theatre.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  which units in the Army are permitted to wear sabretaches in full dress; who manufactures the sabretaches; and what the unit cost is of the manufacture of the sabretaches;
	(2)  when the wearing of sabretaches was sanctioned by the Army Dress Committee.

Andrew Robathan: Sabretaches are no longer an official item of dress and they are not provided at public expense.
	The wearing of sabretaches by the British light cavalry started in the late 18th century, but it is clear from the 1911 British Army Dress Regulations that sabretaches were no longer provided at public expense by that time. Neither the War Office Dress Committee, which first met in 1946, nor the Army Dress Committee that succeeded it, have authorised any regiment or corps to wear sabretaches since 1945. However, we are aware that some regiments have, on occasion, worn sabretaches for commemorative parades; this is acceptable providing they are of the correct regimental pattern and historically accurate.

Armed Forces: Young People

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to Defence Reform, what assessment he has made of the value for money of taking recruits into the armed forces at 16 rather than 18 years old; and what evidential basis his Department used to conclude recruiting at 16 rather than 18 years old represented good value for money.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence takes pride in the fact that our armed forces provide challenging and constructive education, training and employment opportunities for young people equipping them with valuable and transferable skills. The minimum age at which individuals may join the armed forces remains at 16 years. There are no plans to change this.

Armed Forces: Young People

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will assess whether 16 and 17-year-old recruits in the Army receive the same level of education and transferable skills that they would receive had they stayed on in mainstream education.

Andrew Robathan: All 16 and 17-year-old recruits in the Army attending either the Army Foundation College Harrogate or the Army Technical Foundation College Winchester receive a coherent education package that focuses largely on improving their level of functional skills, including literacy and numeracy to at least Level 1.
	At the Army Foundation College Harrogate, all soldiers are enrolled on a Level 2 Apprenticeship for Information Technology. At the Army Technical Foundation College Winchester, the focus is to set in place the academic foundation that the recruits will need in order to succeed at their chosen apprenticeship, such as engineering or mechanics. All of these skills are transferable.
	In addition to this, the Common Military Syllabus includes a range of subjects such as first aid, map reading and values and standards. Recruits also receive training and education that is designed to build the foundations of leadership and emphasises skills such as communication, team work and problem-solving, all of which are transferable skills.
	We aim for all Army personnel to have reached at least Level 1 in literacy and numeracy within three years of enlistment and all Army personnel continue to follow a programme of personal improvement throughout their career.

Army: Redundancy

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers in each (a) regiment, (b) Battalion and (c) other unit based at Merville Barracks, Colchester have been made (i) compulsorily and (ii) voluntarily redundant in the current round of job losses in HM Armed Forces.

Nick Harvey: The Army operates a compulsory redundancy programme, however individuals may apply to be considered for redundancy in accordance with the scheme.
	The following table shows the numbers of personnel selected for redundancy in Tranche 2 of the Army redundancy programme announced on 12 June 2012 and covers both applicants and non-applicants.
	
		
			 Unit Number 
			 13 Air Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps 30 
			 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police * 
			 16 Medical Regiment 5 
			 2(nd) Battalion the Parachute Regiment * 
			 216 Signals Squadron 5 
			 3(rd) Battalion the Parachute Regiment 15 
			 7(th) Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery * 
			 Note: It is not possible to split these numbers between applicants and non-applicants for data protection reasons. In accordance with usual practice, numbers have been withheld where they are below five which is denoted by ‘*’. 
		
	
	It is very important to understand that the selection of an individual for redundancy does not imply that the post they occupy on the notification date is no longer required. In many instances, posts will be refilled as redundees leave. This is because individuals were selected using specific selection criteria; their posts were not selected.
	In addition, service personnel move between posts and locations regularly, and the location at which they will be serving on their exit date may be different from that at which they were notified. Even where units are disestablished, sites may be reused for other purposes (such as the relocation of Army units from Germany) under Defence Transformation. For these reasons, neither the geographical distribution of notices nor the units within which individuals were serving when notified for redundancy provide a valid basis for assumptions about the location of future military posts, or the impact on local economies.

Australia

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force have left to join the Australian armed forces in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: The information is not held. Once a member of the armed forces leaves the services no record is maintained of their subsequent employers.

Consultants

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the annual expenditure of his Department was on external consultants from (a) UK and (b) overseas (i) academic and (ii) private research institutions in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Ministry of Defence expenditure on external consultants has previously been published annually in the Library of the House and from 2011, as part of the UK Defence Statistics at:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/modintranet/UKDS/UKDS2011/c1/trans_sup.php

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) ferry range, (b) combat radius and (c) combat range is of the (i) Joint Strike Fighter B and (ii) Joint Strike Fighter C.

Peter Luff: The combat radius of the F35B is 450 nautical miles and the F35C, 600 nautical miles.
	The ferry range for the F35B is 1,000 nautical miles and for the F35C it is 1,500 nautical miles.
	The combat range for the two variants will be between the aircraft's combat radius and ferry range and is dependent on the configuration of the aircraft for the combat mission flown.

NATO

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what agreements were reached with other NATO countries during the recent Chicago Summit in respect of the pooling of capacities and the joint replacement of assets.

Gerald Howarth: As set out in the Chicago Summit Declaration on Defence Capabilities
	http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-2233ABBD-2F923365/natolive/official_texts_87594.htm
	NATO endorsed a number of multinational capability projects under the Smart Defence banner, declared an interim Ballistic Missile Defence capability, launched an initiative to improve Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, and extended NATO's Air Policing mission in the Baltic. The summit also gave a renewed emphasis to the importance of collective training and exercising through the Connected Forces Initiative.

Nuclear Submarines: Fires

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what fires have taken place on UK (a) nuclear-powered and (b) nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed submarines since 1 January 1987.

Peter Luff: Due to the nature of submarine operations, meticulous records are kept of all fire safety incidents, irrespective of how minor. Incidents recorded in the 25 years since 1 January 1987 are as follows:
	243 small scale fires that were categorised as a localised fire, such as a minor electrical fault creating smoke, dealt with quickly and effectively using minimal onboard resources. 67 of these were on ballistic missile submarines.
	20 medium scale fires that were generally categorised as a localised fire, such as a failure of mechanical equipment creating smoke and flame, requiring use of significant onboard resources. Six of these were on ballistic missile submarines.
	In addition, three fires occurred while the submarines involved were in naval bases, requiring both ship and external resources. One of these was on a ballistic missile submarine.
	Information on whether ballistic missile submarines were armed with nuclear weapons when the fires occurred is not held in the format requested.

Regional Pay

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department has taken to introduce regional pay since 20 March 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the opposition debate on regional pay on 20 June 2012, Official Report, column 937-86. No decision has yet been taken by the Ministry of Defence.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many publications have been issued by his Department since May 2010; and what the title was of each such publication.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a central contract with Corporate Document Services (CDS) for the provision of printing services. The contract covers a range of printed material in both paper and other materials using all forms of printing methods and technology. The contract is the primary route for Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and other departmental printing requirements. The contract covers production of technical publications, periodicals, magazines, forms, business cards, CD/DVD duplication, signage, scanning and microfiche services and internet services. Each year around 70,000 printing orders including publications are placed through the CDS contract. Identifying the title of each publication would require line by line examination of records and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The former Central Office of Information (COI) also managed some printing activity in the past on the Department's behalf. These publications included Army and RAF recruitment activity involving the production of leaflets and posters.

RAF Brize Norton: Disability

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on providing disabled access at RAF Brize Norton for the (a) Sergeants' Mess and (b) offices of the Parachute Training Support Unit in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: The costs for providing disabled access for the Sergeants' Mess and the associated single living accommodation block have been in the region of £35,000. The cost for providing disabled access to offices and access roads of the Parachute Training Support Unit have been in the region of £18,000.
	In addition, disabled access has been provided to a number of other areas on the station to which based or transiting disabled Service personnel would require regular use. These include Gateway House which was fitted with two fully equipped disabled rooms, the Main Gate visitors' room and the gym.
	Overall cost to provide disabled access to all of the above areas of RAF Brize Norton has been estimated to be around £198,000.

JUSTICE

Scottish Justice Cabinet Secretary

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he last had discussions with the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the Scottish Government.

Kenneth Clarke: I have regular exchanges with Kenny MacAskill on a variety of topics. We will meet as necessary in the course of departmental business, but I have met him several times when he has attended meetings of the European Council of Justice Ministers.

Civil Proceedings

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what evidential basis he used to support his decision to introduce closed material procedures in civil proceedings.

Kenneth Clarke: The justice and security Green Paper gave a figure of 27 cases which were posing difficulties on account of relevant sensitive information. There are now estimated to be 29 live cases which fall into this category. The Government believe that CMPs are proportionate, and targeted at dealing with this specific problem. The settlement of the civil damages claims brought by former Guantanamo Bay detainees is an example of the inadequacies of the Public Interest Immunity system in dealing with cases involving large volumes of sensitive material.

Whiplash Claims

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what comparative assessment he has made of the number of whiplash claims in the courts in (a) England and Wales, (b) France and (c) Germany.

Jonathan Djanogly: We have not conducted any such assessments. However, we are aware of studies that indicate the rate in England and Wales is significantly higher than elsewhere. Increases in whiplash claims when there are fewer reported road traffic accidents are totally unacceptable. The Government will consult this summer on measures to tackle the cost of whiplash claims to individuals, families and businesses.

Prisoners: Training and Education

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on improving training and skills of adult prisoners to improve their employment chances after the end of their sentence and reduce the risk of reoffending.

Crispin Blunt: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friends, the Member for Rugby (Mark Pawsey) and Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys (Paul Maynard), earlier today.
	I worked closely with the Minister for skills for the Department of Business Innovation and Skills during the preparation of the new offender learning strategy published last year, and officials from both Departments have worked closely on implementation. I fully recognise the importance of learning and training in making prisoners more employable and my officials and I are also working with the DWP to provide enhanced employment support via the Work programme.

Community Orders

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent assessment he has made of the operation of community payback; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (Mark Pawsey) earlier today.
	The Green Paper “Breaking the Cycle” contained proposals relating to community payback, which have been confirmed by the Government. Plans are in place to implement these changes and the results of the first competition, to administer community payback in London, will be announced very shortly. My assessment is that this competition, and the preparation for competition in all other trusts, has substantially improved all elements of operational delivery.

Community Orders

Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many community payback schemes have taken place in (a) England, (b) the south-east region and (c) Reading East constituency in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The community payback scheme is currently delivered by probation trusts in England and Wales. The number of community payback work projects completed each year is not recorded by the National Offender Management Service. Thames Valley Probation Trust has informed officials that 15 community payback work projects have been completed in the Reading East constituency since July 2010. Records prior to this date are not available.

Dangerous Driving

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what representations he has received from (a) individuals and (b) organisations on the extent to which the system of justice in cases of death and injury by careless or dangerous driving reflects the effect of such offences on victims.

Crispin Blunt: Since June 2011 the Ministry of Justice has received a number of letters from individuals directly and via their Members of Parliament on the subject of sentencing for causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving.
	The Ministry of Justice has also received a letter from British Cycling of 1 June 2012 relating to a review of the criminal justice system to better protect road users.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which EU measures formerly under the third pillar have not yet been implemented by his Department; when such measures are expected to be implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Kenneth Clarke: Of the measures for which my Department has responsibility and were adopted under the former third pillar, five have not yet been implemented or not yet implemented fully. These are:
	Council Framework Decision 2009/948/JHA of 30 November 2009 on prevention and settlement of conflicts of exercise of jurisdiction in criminal proceedings.
	Council Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to judgments and probation decisions with a view to the supervision of probation measures and alternative sanctions.
	Council Framework Decision 2009/829/JHA of 23 October 2009 on the application, between member states of the European Union, of the principle of mutual recognition of decisions on supervision measures as an alternative to provisional detention.
	Council Framework Decision 2009/299/JHA of 26 February 2009 amending Framework Decisions 2002/584/JHA, 2005/514/JHA, 2006/783/JHA, 2008/909/JHA and 2008/947/JHA, thereby enhancing the procedural rights of persons and fostering the application of the principle of mutual recognition to decisions rendered in the absence of the person concerned at the trial.
	Agreement on Cooperation in proceedings for Road Traffic Offences and the Enforcement of Financial Penalties Imposed in Respect Thereof: SCH/III (96)25revl8.
	The UK must decide, no later than 31 May 2014, whether to accept full European Court of Justice jurisdiction over those EU police and criminal justice measures adopted before 1 December 2009 which have not been amended or replaced. All measures, which fall within that scope, including the five measures above, are currently being reviewed and further implementation is being considered on a case by case basis based on the merits of each individual instrument.
	The Government have committed to a vote in both houses on this decision and to conduct consultations on this vote with the European Scrutiny Committees, and the Commons and Lords Home Affairs and Justice Select Committees. We will make an announcement in due course.

Litter: Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) prosecutions were brought and (b) fixed penalty notices were issued in Havering for (i) dog fouling and (ii) dropping litter in each of the last three years.

Crispin Blunt: There have been no reports of proceedings for offences under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 in Havering magistrates court for the years 2009 to 2011.
	The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs advise that the number of fixed penalty notices issued by local authorities in the last three years for dog fouling and littering are not held centrally.

Mesothelioma: Compensation

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to announce the terms of reference of the review into support for victims of mesothelioma in respect of claims against former employers and their insurers; and whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure adequate protection of this group of claimants.

Jonathan Djanogly: As the Under-Secretary of State for Justice, my hon. Friend the Member for Reigate (Mr Blunt), made clear in an adjournment debate on this issue on 26 June 2012, Official Report, column 44WH, the review will not be held for some time. The Government do not consider that it would be right, at this early stage, to set out in more detail the nature of the review itself, until we have more clarity about the likely timetable and the issues for consideration, and indeed the experience of the reformed conditional fee agreement regime from April next year. That said, we will consider the factors raised in that debate when we come to set out the review's terms of reference.
	The Department for Work and Pensions is leading on discussions with stakeholders about how to help people who are unable to trace their employers' insurer. It is hoped that an announcement on the way forward will be made before the House rises for summer recess.

Prisoners: Repatriation

Mark Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on facilitating the removal of foreign national prisoners.

Crispin Blunt: I have had a number of discussions with ministerial colleagues, including from the Home Office, about facilitating the removal of foreign national offenders.
	We are working hard to reduce the foreign national offender population in the UK. For example, staff in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the UK Border Agency are working together more closely to make sure foreign national offenders are removed at the earliest point in time. We are also working towards compulsory prisoner transfer agreements with a number of countries and we are improving NOMS' communication with foreign national offenders who are eligible for voluntary return to increase removals this way.

Protection of Badgers Act 1992

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people were prosecuted under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 in each of the last five years; and how many of these people received a custodial sentence;
	(2)  how many people were prosecuted for dog fighting in each of the last five years; and how many of these people received a custodial sentence;
	(3)  how many people were prosecuted for possessing a dangerous dog in each of the last five years; and how many of these people received a custodial sentence.

Crispin Blunt: The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and sentenced to immediate custody at all courts for offences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, offences of animal fighting and possessing a dangerous dog, in England and Wales from 2007 to 2011, can be viewed in the table.
	From data held centrally on the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database it is not possible to identify the type of animal involved in offences of animal fighting.
	
		
			 Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates court and sentenced to immediate custody at all courts for selected offences, England and Wales, 2007-11(1,2) 
			  2007 2008(3) 2009 2010 2011 
			 Statute and offence Proceeded against Immediate custody Proceeded against Immediate custody Proceeded against Immediate custody Proceeded against Immediate custody Proceeded against Immediate custody 
			 Protection of Badgers Act 1992 30 1 37 2 50 10 50 13 58 8 
			 Animal Welfare Act 2006—Animal fighting — — 5 2 16 5 3 1 16 5 
			 Dangerous Dogs Act 1991—Possessing a dangerous dog 16 2 21 1 28 1 47 — 38 — 
			 (1) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) publications, (b) consultation documents and (c) circulars have been issued by his Department since May 2010; and what the title was of each such publication, consultation document or circular.

Kenneth Clarke: Since May 2010 my Department, including its agencies HMCTS, NOMS and OPG, has published:
	(a) 149 publications, and a detailed list is available at:
	www.justice.gov.uk/publications
	(b) 37 consultation documents, available at:
	https://consult.justice.gov.uk/; and
	(c) 10 circulars, available at:
	www.justice.gov.uk/legislation/bills-and-acts/circulars

Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what regulations his Department introduced between 1 February and 31 May 2012; and at what cost to the public purse.

Jonathan Djanogly: Between 1 February and 31 May 2012, the Ministry of Justice has laid no statutory instruments which have regulatory impact.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department is taking to increase capacity to deal with social security and child support appeals at hearing venues in Coventry.

Jonathan Djanogly: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 461W.
	The average waiting time from receipt to disposal for all SSCS benefits during the period April 2011 to March 2012 (the latest period for which statistics have been published) was 23.16 weeks nationally and 37.24 weeks in Coventry. After increasing in the first nine months of the year, the average time from receipt to disposal in Coventry has reduced from 45.43 weeks in January 2012 to 41.57 weeks in March 2012.
	Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has implemented a number of measures to bring down the average waiting time for an appeal hearing in Coventry. Additional venue capacity was brought into use in December 2011 and HMCTS is working to identify further suitable venues. Work is also under way to reassess the area which is served by the Coventry venue, to examine whether certain appeals which would currently be heard at the Coventry venue can be heard in other nearby HMCTS estate.
	This is in addition to the measures being implemented nationally to increase the capacity of the SSCS tribunal and reduce waiting times, which include recruiting more judges and medical panel members; increasing administrative resources; increasing the number of cases listed in each tribunal session; running double shifts in its largest processing centre; setting up a customer contact centre to deal with telephone inquiries and the review and continuous improvement of business processes.
	These measures are having a positive effect. The total number of disposals has increased significantly from 279,000 in 2009-10 to 433,600 in 2011-12, with the capacity for half a million disposals in 2012-13. Disposals outstripped receipts for the 14 months between January 2011 and February 2012 and the number of cases waiting to be heard fell by 25% in 2011-12. Waiting times are stabilising nationally and HMCTS is working as a matter of priority to reduce them further, in particular in areas where they remain longer than we would wish.

Squatting

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  whether he has any plans to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the squatting provisions of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 in respect of their effects on the cost of policing and number of instances of squatting;
	(2)  what representations he has received from police forces on the squatting provisions of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 since it received Royal Assent;
	(3)  what steps he plans to take to measure the effectiveness of the squatting provisions of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.

Crispin Blunt: We will monitor the impact of the new offence and conduct formal post-legislative scrutiny within three to five years of Royal Assent. We have not received any direct representations from police forces since Royal Assent but my officials are working with the Home Office and ACPO to discuss what training and guidance might be required to facilitate enforcement.

Young Offenders: Sentencing

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) young offenders and (b) juvenile offenders received sentences of (i) 10 years or more, (ii) 18 years or more and (iii) life in (A) 2009, (B) 2010 and (C) 2011.

Crispin Blunt: The number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody, by age group and sentence length in England and Wales from 2009 to 2011 can be viewed in the following table:
	
		
			 Defendants sentenced to immediate custody(1) by age group and sentence length, England and Wales, 2009 to 2011(2, 3), England and Wales 
			 Defendants 
			 Age group Custody length 2009 2010 2011 
			 Juveniles(4) 10 years and up to 18 years 4 4 2 
			  18 years and over 1 0 0 
			  Life 50 60 44 
			      
			 Young offenders(5) 10 years and up to 18 years 26 24 32 
			  18 years and over 4 1 4 
			  Life 180 151 105 
			 (1 )Includes: sentences imposed under sections 90-92 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000; indeterminate sentence for public protection; extended sentence for public protection; detention and training orders; young offenders institute; and unsuspended imprisonment. (2 )The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4 )Includes those between 10 and 17 years of age. (5 )Includes those between 18 and 20 years of age. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Assisted Areas: Northern Ireland

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the written ministerial statement of 28 June 2011, on Government response to consultation on revisions to the Industrial Development Act 1982, how much businesses in Northern Ireland have received under the assisted area status scheme in the latest year for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the effect in monetary terms of his proposal to end automatic 100% assisted area status for Northern Ireland.

Mark Prisk: Economic development and regional aid spending is a devolved matter and as such the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has not made an estimate in monetary terms of the impact of removing Northern Ireland's 100% automatic assisted area status. Reduced coverage for Northern Ireland would mean that regional aid is more restricted geographically but would not in itself mean that Northern Ireland would be able to give less regional aid. Once the UK Government have consulted on the assisted areas map for the UK and it is agreed with the European Commission, it will be for the Northern Ireland Government to decide how much regional aid is given in line with the regional aid guidelines in force.

Business

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made on his Department's initiative to recruit business mentors.

Mark Prisk: Get Mentoring is a Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI-led) project supported by grant funding (from both BIS and the Government Equalities Office,) to recruit and train 15,000 volunteer business mentors from the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) community.
	We are encouraged by the great response from the business community to the national mentoring recruitment drive. Over 12,000 volunteer business mentors have signed up to the Get Mentoring initiative since November 2011 and more than 7,000 of them have already completed training. This is a great achievement to help create a valuable business resource that has not been available before.

Business: Essex

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses in (a) Witham constituency and (b) Essex have participated in the business mentor scheme.

Mark Prisk: Over 12,000 volunteers have now been recruited through the Get Mentoring scheme, which is led by Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI). More than 7,000 of these volunteers have already completed training—around 8% of whom are based in the East of England/Essex. This estimate is only approximate and based on the location of the workshop they attended so does not include those who have completed their training via online or distance learning. We do not currently have the data to ascertain how many were recruited from Witham constituency specifically.
	Volunteer mentors recruited and trained through Get Mentoring are deployed via the mentoring organisations on mentorsme.co.uk, the national mentoring portal or mentor businesses within their own networks. It is too early yet to provide robust data on the number of businesses being mentored by Get Mentoring volunteers. We do not have data to say how many mentoring relationships have been developed and therefore how many businesses have benefitted as a result of mentorsme.
	At the start of 2011 it is estimated that there were around 475,000 private sector enterprises in the East of England. Based on results from the Small Business Survey 2010 it is estimated that around 40,000 (8.5%) of these would have used a business mentor during the preceding 12 months.

EU Grants and Loans

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much of the funding under heading 1A of the EU Budget, Competitiveness for growth and employment, was spent in the UK in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: Programmes under heading 1A competitiveness for growth and employment are structured differently and not all funds come though the Government's accounts. BIS does not hold information on the draw down of funds from the EU that have been spent in the UK where we are not the managing authority or where the money is competitively bid for by individuals, academic institutions or business. (Information on public sector receipts by fund, and not by budget headings, are centrally held.) As a result we do not have information on how much of the EU Budget 2002-12 has been spent in the UK under heading 1A.
	However, the majority of the heading is made up of the framework programme for research and innovation on which we do hold some indicative figures. For contracts signed in the four-year period of FP6 (2002-06) UK organisations would have received a maximum of €2.38 billion which is 14.2% of the total commission funding to FP6.
	For grant agreements signed in FP7 (2007 to date) UK organisations are likely to receive a maximum of €3.73 billion, which is 14.7% of the total commission funding allocated to date for FP7.
	Data source:
	EC FP6 contracts and participants' database, released on 2 June 2008 and EC FP7 grant agreements and participants' database, released on 28 February 2012.

Higher Education

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether due diligence checks assess the international business activities of applicants for designated course status.

David Willetts: The due diligence checks that are now undertaken as part of the higher education course designation process take account of a range of factors and include consideration of public information on known international business activities of applicant organisations.
	As set out in the Government Response to the White Paper consultation we will be reviewing the existing student support course designation system for alternative providers to include more robust and transparent requirements on quality assurance, financial sustainability and management and governance.

Higher Education

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the answer from the Minister of State for Universities and Science on 23 April 2012, Official Report, column 735W, on the higher education, if he will assess the change in range and type of organisations applying for designated higher education course status in the last 12 months.

David Willetts: In the last 12 months the overall volume of applications has increased and an increasing proportion have been from applicants seeking designation for the first time.
	We have introduced the due diligence checks to provide both the Department and potential students with additional assurance over the providers who as a result of designation could potentially be in indirect receipt of public funds.

Higher Education: Admissions

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many English applicants he expects will not secure a place at English universities for courses starting in September 2012.

David Willetts: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not forecast the number of applicants from England who will not get a place. The number of unsuccessful applicants this September will depend on a range of factors, such as the grades achieved in this summer's exams. Entry to higher education has always been a competitive process and universities, as independent and autonomous bodies, are responsible for their own admissions decisions. For decades, there have been more applications than places and this will be repeated this year.

Insolvency: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses registered in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency failed in the last year for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many businesses registered in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency failed in the last year for which figures are available.
	Annual statistics on the number of enterprise deaths are available from 2002 onwards in the ONS release on Business Demography at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bus-register/business-demography/2010/index.html
	The following table contains the latest statistics, which show the number of enterprise deaths in the constituency of Bexleyheath and Crayford for 2010.
	
		
			 Count of enterprises deaths in the constituency of Bexleyheath and Crayford for 2010 
			  Number 
			 Bexleyheath and Crayford 380 
			 Note: The above count has been rounded to the nearest 5.

Mental Health

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to promote good mental health and well-being in his Department.

Norman Lamb: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) takes the health and well-being of its employees very seriously and has a number of measures in place to promote good mental health and well-being. These include policies and guidance specifically targeted at promoting mental health and well-being within the Department, as well as a variety of wider measures that contribute to this agenda. These include the following:
	Creating a culture of openness and support
	BIS wants all of its employees to feel safe to discuss mental health problems without fear of stigma, harassment or isolation. We provide guidance for individuals and line managers on our intranet pages in order to raise their awareness of mental health and other well-being issues and to provide support and information when needed. This guidance covers a range of health and well-being issues, including health fact sheets on a variety of mental health conditions. This is supported by an annual 'wellbeing week' (usually in November), during which we run a series of workshops, events and seminars on various aspects of well-being.
	BIS employees all have access to our Employee Assistance Programme, a dedicated information and counselling support service. In addition the Department has a Disability Advisory Group, which includes a sub-group specifically dedicated to mental health issues. BIS also has a medical adviser, who helps the Department to consider reasonable adjustments for employees when required and makes suggestions as to things which might make it easier for them to carry out their duties.
	Promoting a good work/life balance
	BIS offers a range of flexible working options to help its employees to have a healthy and fulfilled life both inside and outside of work. These include home working, part-time working, compressed hours, term time/annualised hours, flexi time and job sharing arrangements. In addition BIS provides paid and unpaid time off to support work-life balance such as career breaks of up to three years, generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave and paid special leave (five days) to cover emergencies such as a breakdown in caring arrangements.
	Job-related support for employees
	All BIS staff have access to appropriate training, on-the-job support and are given the opportunity to participate in the department's mentoring scheme. The learning and development offer for all staff includes an e-learning module on equality and diversity, which all employees are strongly encouraged to undertake.
	Encouraging good relationships
	BIS's work on health and well-being is supported by our values and behaviours, which help to ensure that all staff are clear about what is expected of them and the types of behaviours that the Department considers unacceptable. Many of our policies, for example on discipline, harassment and bullying, also contribute to the mental health and well-being agenda and provide clear signposts and advice for employees who feel they are being harassed or bulled in the workplace.
	Measuring mental health and well-being
	We have recently conducted a telephone campaign across the Department to increase the proportion of staff who declare their diversity information on our HR system. This will enable us to better assess the impact of our policies on different groups of staff, including those with mental health issues. In addition BIS will be participating in the civil service wide People Survey in October, which will include some new questions aimed at measuring overall well-being across Departments.

Mobile Phones: Fees and Charges

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the average cost for making or receiving an (a) SMS text message and (b) telephone call whilst in another EU member state in each of the last 10 years to date; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport holds no information on the average cost of making or receiving an (a) SMS text and (b) telephone calls while in another EU member state.
	However Ofcom, the independent national regulator, holds the following data which shows the average cost (in GB pounds) of a call or text incurred across all mobile network operators whilst in another EU member state from 2008 onwards:
	
		
			  SMS Voice call 
			  Made Received Made Received 
			 2008 0.299 (1)n/a 0.408 0.193 
			 2009 0.146 (1)n/a 0.325 0.137 
			 2010 0.070 (1)n/a 0.321 0.141 
			 2011 0.088 (1)n/a 0.302 0.094 
			 (1) There is no charge for receiving SMS text messages

Money Lenders

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate his Department has made of the level of unscrupulous money lending in (a) the UK, (b) the east midlands, (c) Nottinghamshire and (d) Ashfield.

Norman Lamb: holding answer 2 July 2012
	In relation to illegal money lending, there were nearly 500 illegal lenders identified in 2011 in England. Of those identified, 29 were in the east midland region, seven in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and one in Ashfield.

New Businesses

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2012, Official Report, column 148W, on businesses: offices, if he will list each premises which have been identified under the start-up spaces scheme in the first batch by (a) region and (b) location.

Mark Prisk: The Government Property Unit initially identified a first batch of 20 spaces for the Government's initiative to use appropriate unused and underused Government space for start-up businesses. A further four spaces have since been identified, and these will be added to the current exercise to find providers to manage the spaces and deliver business support to future occupants.

New Businesses: Young People

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2012, Official Report, column 150W, on new businesses: young people, which organisations responded to the expressions of interest exercise to identify partners for the start-up loans scheme.

Mark Prisk: The appraisal and due diligence of expressions of interest to deliver the start-up loans scheme is ongoing and it would not therefore be appropriate at this time to provide details of the organisations that submitted expressions of interest.

Postage Stamps: World War I

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will ask Royal Mail to produce special (a) postage stamps and (b) franking to commemorate the centenary of the first world war between 2014 to 2018; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: Operational matters, which include decisions about Royal Mail's commemorative stamps and postmarks, are the direct responsibility of the company's management.
	Royal Mail does have a well-established process for choosing its stamp themes and subjects to capture the anniversaries of historical events of national importance. The company's researchers examine all major anniversaries over a five-year period and will consider all ideas proposed by members of the public and organisations.
	Royal Mail is currently in the process of finalising the subjects for their 2014 programme and will be making an announcement of these in 2013. The company is very conscious of the significance and importance of the centenary of the first world war and this is being taken into full consideration as their plans for their 2014 programme are finalised.

Science: Research

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of how many people are directly employed in scientific research.

David Willetts: We estimate that in 2010 there were almost 400,000 people employed in the UK in roles relating closely to scientific research (Annual Population Survey, 2010).
	There is no single agreed definition of ‘direct employment in scientific research’ in any of the existing classification systems. Various possibilities present themselves for providing estimates of the numbers employed in scientific research, all with their own advantages and disadvantages.
	In prioritising shortage occupations for the immigration points-based system (PBS) the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has defined a list of occupations as “PhD level” jobs. These were defined at the 4-digit level within the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system, and cover the following eight SOC codes. Note that it includes all jobs in these codes regardless of whether the individuals themselves hold a PhD or not.
	1137—Research and Development Managers
	2111—Chemists
	2112—Biological Scientists and Research Chemists
	2113—Physicists, Geologists and Meteorologists
	2311—Higher Education teaching Professionals
	2321—Scientific Researchers
	2322—Social Science Researchers
	2329—Researchers not elsewhere classified.
	We have taken the numbers employed in these eight occupations to arrive at the estimate in this answer, using the Annual Population Survey (APS) for 2010. It will include some employees who are probably not ‘directly employed in scientific research’, but equally it will also exclude some employees classified in other occupational groups who are working in scientific research (e.g. laboratory technicians). This will be true for any definition chosen.

Students: Finance

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much has been spent on maintenance grants for undergraduate students in each year since 2007-08; and how much is expected to be spent in each year up to 2014-15.

David Willetts: In each academic year since 2007-08, the expenditure on maintenance grants and special support grants has been as follows. This series excludes the expenditure on the HE grant introduced in 2004 and no longer available to entrants from 2006. These data are published each November by the Student Loans Company:
	
		
			  Grants awarded (£ million) 
			 2011/12(1) 1,213.3 
			 2010/11 1,259.1 
			 2009/10 1,207.8 
		
	
	
		
			 2008/09 998.6 
			 2007/08 629.6 
			 (1) Provisional 
		
	
	In each year up to 2014-15 the expected expenditure is:
	
		
			  Grant forecasts (£ million) 
			 2014/15 1,550 
			 2013/14 1,450 
			 2012/13 1,350

Trade Promotion

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to implement the recommendations in the report by the British Chambers of Commerce, “Exporting is Good for Britain but Breaking into New Markets Requires Planning” to promote training and mentoring for market research, export planning and product development; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: The Government agrees with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) about the importance of training and mentoring for market research, export planning and product development. The export promotion services offered by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), including their Passport to Export programme and Export Marketing Research Scheme, provide support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly new and inexperienced exporters, to build their skills and capability to plan, research and develop a strategy for market entry. Modest amounts of financial support are available from UKTI under those schemes, including for companies to undertake overseas market visits and to participate in overseas trade exhibitions.

Vocational Training

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to re-skill and up-skill the workforce.

John Hayes: The Government are clear that in order for the UK to compete globally, we must have a world-class skills base across all sectors. The Government recognise that employers and professional representative bodies are best placed to devise and deliver the skills the British work force needs. This demand-led model was given life by the publication of “Skills for Sustainable Growth” in November 2010. “New Challenges New Chances” published in December 2011 reaffirmed our approach and set out Government's plans for skills to 2015.
	Government fully accept there is still more to do. The Employer Ownership Pilot was launched on 15 May 2012 as a further step to achieving business ownership of the skills agenda. It is giving employers direct access to up to £250 million of public investment for training and apprenticeships over the next two years (up to £50 million in round 1 and up to £200 million in round 2).
	The first round of bids was received in April for a share of the £250 million fund which will route public investment directly to employers. 269 bids were received from businesses looking to design and develop their own vocational training programmes. Bids are seeking a total of around £400 million of public investment in this first round of the pilot.
	We are continuing the important work to improve and expand apprenticeships, particularly at Levels 3 and 4 to ensure that the British work force has the skills required at intermediate technician and associate professional level.
	To help create apprenticeship opportunities, and to grow the programme among small and medium-sized enterprises, in April this year Government introduced incentive payments of £1,500 for small employers who take on their first new apprentice aged 16-24. The total number of incentive places available in 2012/13 is 40,000.